By-law to protect drinking water sources in Québec

To protect drinking water sources, the City of Québec adopted a by-law which imposes additional restrictions, especially on new structures located in the watersheds of water intakes of Québec City installed in Saint-Charles and Montmorency rivers. The restrictions listed below are currently in force and apply to the area shown on map 4 attached to the by-law.

Under this by-law, any new main structure shall meet the following requirements:

1. The land on which each structure is to be erected shall be adjacent to a public or a private street identified in Appendix 5 of the by-law, available in French only.
2. The land must already be served by waterworks and sewer systems or, if it is not yet served, a by-law ordering their eventual installation has already been adopted by the City of Québec, or an authorization was obtained for their eventual installation from the City of Québec or the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MDDELCC).
3. The land on which a structure is to be erected must be located outside an area defined as having a slope of 15% and over.

In addition, the construction of a public street and the extension of an existing public street are prohibited.

The following uses are also prohibited under this by-law:

1. Outside an agricultural zone, animal boarding, care and breeding carried out outside a building except for the boarding and care of a maximum of 15 domestic animals and headlands;
2. Golf courses;
3. Outdoor storage of hazardous materials;
4. Snow disposal sites;
5. Service stations;
6. Road disposal sites (salt, sand);
7. Outdoor storage of bulk materials;
8. Outdoor storage of contaminated soil;
9. Outdoor storage of pesticides.

On any land subject to an application for authorization with the MDDELCC, the owner shall keep or grow plants on a minimum area equivalent to 70% of the surface area of his land with a minimum of 15% in the front yard and a minimum of 25% in the backyard.

New areas are subjected to the same restrictions since October 20, 2016. Subject to change without notice by Quebec City.

Please consult the complete by-law and its amendment.