This plan for the protection and enhancement of the Portneuf Bank is the result of the involvement of members of a committee formed by the Comité ZIP de la Rive Nord de l'Estuaire, the Société de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, Hydro-Québec, the Coastal Committee Les Escoumins at the Betsiamites River, the Union Québecoise pour la conservation de la nature, the Municipality of Portneuf-sur-Mer, as well as several volunteer members interested in the development of the environment. The ideas expressed in this document were discussed by the committee members and resulted in a consensus after four consultation meetings. A press conference took place on August 28, 2001, in Portneuf-sur-Mer to announce the submission of the Portneuf Bank protection and development plan for public consultation. The public consultation took place on September 19, 2001, and allowed the content of the plan to be validated with the population.
This protection and development plan first locates the environment at the level of the North Shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary. It then provides a description of the natural components of interest and the context of integration. The following two chapters respectively address with the main guidelines for protection and development and the framework measures deriving from the proposed statutes and zoning. Finally, several planning, development, management and awareness-raising approaches are proposed. Finally, a summary cost evaluation by budget item and a prioritization of interventions are presented.
