2026 Fundraising Campaign

Let’s Protect Our Lakes

Your donation supports responsible boating, the protection of shorelines and riverbanks, and the preservation of our natural environments.

Take Action

Our lakes are our memory, our refuge, and our pride. They must remain places of nature, community, and enjoyment on the water.

With clear standards, we can protect shorelines, preserve water quality, and ensure responsible boating for everyone.

The Right Boat in the Right Place!

We are not against boats, nor against enjoying time on the water.

We are calling for stronger environmental guidelines so that every boating activity takes place responsibly, in a way that reflects the reality of our lakes.

Your donation helps advance clear, science-based rules.

OUR PRINCIPLES

300 m from shorelines
To reduce the impact of waves on shorelines and allow their energy to dissipate.

7 m of water depth
To limit the disturbance of sediments, phosphorus, and other elements that harm water quality.

600 m of navigable width
So that certain activities that generate large waves can take place in an area truly suited to them.

Why Act Now?

The damage is mounting, municipalities are burdened with complex procedures, and federal standards are needed.

OUR APPROACH

Clear Rules to Protect Our Lakes

What We Are Calling For

Science-based standards, a reduced burden on municipalities, and stronger oversight through Transport Canada / VORR.

    What Does Your Donation Fund?

    Advocacy, outreach, mobilization, awareness tools, and support for municipalities.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    FAQ

    The Urgent Need to Act to Protect Our Lakes

    Support the Coalition for Responsible and Sustainable Boating Today

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Est-ce que la Coalition veut interdire les bateaux ?

    No. We are not opposed to boats, nor to enjoying time on the water.

    Our objective is simple: to better regulate certain boating activities so that every body of water can be used responsibly, according to its specific conditions, size, depth, and capacity to absorb impacts.

    We believe in the principle of the right boat, in the right place, in sustainable numbers.

    Pourquoi les wakeboats soulèvent-ils souvent des préoccupations ?

    Because wake boats are designed to generate large waves. When used on lakes that are too small, too narrow, or too shallow, these waves can contribute to shoreline erosion, the resuspension of sediments, and the degradation of certain aquatic habitats.
    Our approach is not about banning this activity, but about promoting the principle of “the right boat in the right place.” Every watercraft has its place when it is used in a suitable environment.

    Est-ce que vous êtes contre le wakesurf ?

    No. We support stronger oversight of wakesurfing and other activities that generate large waves.

    As with many sports, it all depends on where it is practised. On a body of water that is wide enough, deep enough, and capable of supporting this type of activity, the level of risk is different. On a fragile, shallow, or narrow lake, the impacts can be much greater…

    Our request is not to eliminate enjoyment on the water. It is to make it sustainable.

    Pourquoi la distance de 300 mètres des rives est-elle importante ?

    Scientific studies show that waves generated by certain watercraft can travel long distances before losing their energy. When they reach shorelines, they can contribute to erosion, the resuspension of sediments, and the degradation of shoreline habitats.
    That is why several experts recommend that activities generating large waves be practised at least 300 metres from shorelines. This means that a body of water should ideally provide a corridor of approximately 600 metres in width, or 300 metres on each side of the watercraft.
    The objective is simple: to allow these activities to take place where they have the least impact on the health of our lakes.

    Est-ce que ces règles vont empêcher les familles de profiter de leur lac ?

    On the contrary, the goal is to protect enjoyment on the water over the long term.

    Swimming, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, boating, and water sports: all of these uses must be able to coexist. But to make that possible, we need clear rules that take into account the fragility of our lakes and respect among users.

    Protecting lakes today means ensuring that future generations will be able to enjoy them as well.

    Pourquoi demander des règles fédérales ?

    Because boating falls primarily under federal jurisdiction, particularly through Transport Canada.

    Today, municipalities that want to regulate certain boating activities must go through lengthy, complex, and costly procedures. Meanwhile, the damage can continue to accumulate.

    We are calling for clear, science-based national standards to reduce this burden and allow for better protection of lakes across the country.

    Pourquoi les municipalités ne peuvent-elles pas simplement régler le problème elles-mêmes ?

    Municipalities often want to act, but they must deal with a heavy administrative process to have boating restrictions recognized.

    This requires time, resources, studies, money, consultations, and a great deal of energy. Many small municipalities simply do not have the means to carry this burden alone.

    That is why the Coalition is calling for a clearer federal framework. Municipalities should not be left alone to deal with an issue this important.

    À quoi sert concrètement mon don ?

    Your donation gives us the resources needed to move this cause forward.
    It helps fund our efforts with Transport Canada, citizen mobilization, information tools, the sharing of scientific studies, public communications, and support for municipalities that want to protect their bodies of water.
    Behind these actions is a team dedicating time, money, and energy to raising public awareness, making the issues better known, and bringing the voice of lakes to decision-makers.
    Every contribution helps us continue this essential work and build a stronger, more credible, and better-organized voice for the protection of our lakes and rivers.

    Pourquoi donner maintenant ?

    Because damage to lakes does not stop while administrative processes move slowly.

    Each year, impacts on shorelines and aquatic ecosystems continue to accumulate:
    • Accelerated shoreline erosion
    • Resuspension of phosphorus-rich sediments
    • Degradation of aquatic habitats
    • Conflicts over the use of bodies of water
    • Growing pressure on lakes that are already under stress
    The longer we wait, the more serious the consequences may become and the more costly they will be to address.

    Your donation helps us move this work forward faster and maintain the pressure needed to secure clear standards.

    Est-ce qu’un petit don peut vraiment faire une différence ?

    Yes. Every donation matters.

    A donation of $10, $30, $60 or more directly supports mobilization, advocacy, and the protection of our lakes. It is not only the individual amount that matters it is the collective movement we are building together.

    The more people who support this effort, the more weight our message will carry with decision-makers.

    Quel est le message principal de la Coalition ?

    We want to protect our lakes without pitting citizens against one another.

    Our message is simple: enjoyment on the water must go hand in hand with the protection of our bodies of water. To achieve this, we need clear, science-based standards that support responsible and sustainable boating.

    The right boat in the right place, in sustainable numbers.

    Que se passe-t-il si nous n’agissons pas ?

    Without clear guidelines, conflicts are likely to increase, municipalities will continue to shoulder a heavy administrative burden on their own, and some fragile lakes may suffer damage that is difficult, or even impossible, to repair.

    Acting now means preventing damage rather than repairing it. It means protecting our shorelines, our water, our ecosystems, and our ability to enjoy our lakes before it is too late.

    Autres questions?

    For any other questions, please feel free to contact us.

    Phone
    1 (873) 564-8245

    Email
    Info@coalitionnavigation.ca

    Head Office
    4738 Chemin du Lac-de-la-Haie
    Rivière-Rouge, QC J0T 1T0