Nouvelles de Parcs Québec

Fishing holidays and vacation stays: Reservations can be made as of this coming Friday

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:54:00 EST

Press Release
Sépaq - 1973

Fishing holidays and vacation stays in wildlife reserves and national parks: Reservations can be made as of this coming Friday

Quebec City, November 21, 2011 - The Société des établissements de plein air du Québec would like to remind all Quebecers that reservations for fishing holidays and vacation stays, including cabin accommodations, for the 2012 season can be made as of this Friday, November 25 across our network of wildlife reserves and national parks.

Up to and including last year, reservations were made on the basis of a lucky draw that established an order of priority. This will no longer be the case. From now on, fishers and vacationers will have to reserve directly on the Sépaq website (www.sepaq.com) or by calling our toll-free number: 1 800 665-6527.

Interested parties simply have to consult the reservation start-up calendar to find out when they can begin reserving a fishing holiday or vacation stay at the facility of their choice. Please note that telephone reservations can be made from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. from November 25 to December 4, 2011, and that the transactional site (www.sepaq.com) will be operational on an ongoing basis. After December 4, the regular schedule for telephone reservations, i.e. from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during the week, and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends, will once again apply.

Reservation calendar

FRIDAY November 25, 2011	SUNDAY November 27, 2011	WEDNESDAY November 30, 2011	FRIDAY December 2, 2011	SATURDAY December 3, 2011	SUNDAY December 4, 2011
Wildlife reserves Laurentides Portneuf National parks Grands-Jardins Jacques-Cartier	Wildlife reserves Mastigouche Rouge-Matawin Saint-Maurice	National parks Frontenac Lac-Témiscouata Miguasha Mont-Orford Plaisance Pointe-Taillon	Wildlife reserves La Vérendrye Papineau-Labelle National park Mont-Tremblant	Wildlife reserves Ashuapmushuan Assinica Lacs-Albanel-Mistassini-et-Waconichi Port-Cartier-Sept-Îles National park Monts-Valin	Wildlife reserves Chic-Chocs Matane Port-Daniel Rimouski National parks Aiguebelle Fjord-du-Saguenay Gaspésie

As well as simplifying reservation procedures, the new way to reserve a cabin offers a great deal more flexibility when it comes to beginning and ending a stay. For fishing holidays, the new procedures include a discount for stays of three days or longer, a rate freeze, a new family package, and cheaper rates for large groups of fishers (certain conditions apply). For more details, please visit our website at www.sepaq.com. An online demonstration video is at the disposal of new users of our transactional site. And from now until the reservation start-up date, they can also carry out simulated transactions to get used to the new ways of proceeding. What’s more, we’ve provided a set of online FAQs designed to answer the main questions that may be raised.

A call to action to promote Quebec youth in contact with Nature

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:15:00 EDT

Press Release
Sépaq - 1972

Parcs Québec among the signatories of a call to action to promote Quebec youth in contact with Nature

Quebec City - On the occasion of the colloquium entitled La nature, un terreau fertile en éducation (nature: fertile soil for education), held in Montreal on November 3 and 4, Parcs Québec added its support to a new movement: A call to action to promote Quebec youth in contact with Nature. Claire Ducharme, director of conservation, education and development for Parcs Québec, proudly submitted the signatures of all directors of Quebec’s national parks network, who very enthusiastically support this commitment. “It goes without saying that our national parks teams are on board when it comes to a project that’s so close in spirit to our mission at Parcs Québec, which protects 23 exceptional areas while ensuring that they are accessible to the general public for purposes of education and outdoor activities,” points out Claire Ducharme.

Up to now, 77 organizations and 287 individuals have joined the call-to-action movement, in particular the Biodôme de Montréal, the Fédération québécoise de la marche, the Regroupement QuébecOiseaux and the Quebec office of UNICEF Canada. “The entire network of 23 national parks managed by the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (Sépaq) represents 23 special areas for discovering nature. So it was essential for Sépaq to join the call-to action movement and design appealing concrete initiatives to promote young people’s physical and psychological well being,” explains Ms. Ducharme. We should mention that the Parcs Québec network offers visitors of all ages a vast array of experiences arousing wonder and respect for a wide variety of natural environments.

Offering a vast array of original activities

Concerned by statistics showing that young people are increasingly sedentary and separated from nature, our national park teams have developed, over the last few years, a set of activities intended specifically for youth. Discovery activities were few and far between back in 1999, whereas today’s parks offer an impressive program that includes 480 different activities. In 2010-2011, some 393,000 Parcs Québec visitors participated in one or more of the proposed nature-discovery activities of various types, including theatrical vignettes, treasure hunts, every sort of outing (hiking, biking, by water, etc.), and talks, all of them activities designed for curious visitors – young and old alike – wishing to learn a little bit more about their natural and historical heritage.

School programs: increasingly appreciated by all concerned

In addition to its public activities, Parcs Québec has developed an offering especially for young people at the high school level. On the agenda are 129 local programs prepared by each national park team according to the needs of their respective regions. In only three years, between 2008 and 2010, the number of young people benefiting from these programs nearly doubled, from 18,560 to 35,070.

In 2008, a program was established for geography students at the secondary 1, 2 and 3 levels, entitled Les parcs nationaux québécois : des territoires protégés. In 2010-2011, park-warden naturalists from 11 different national parks visited the schools of their respective regions, offering the program to 240 classes with a grand total of 7,130 students. After participating in this stimulating activity, school groups will, more often than not, visit the parks themselves. In this way, schools encourage their students to experience an authentic contact with nature and discover on their own what the park wardens conveyed during the visit.

“With the goal of promoting contact with nature among our youth constantly in mind, we will continue to develop activities and programs especially for them,” concludes Ms. Ducharme. Moreover, Parcs Québec is preparing a new program for primary school students for 2012.

Pierre Arcand and Johanne Gonthier inaugurate a new sector

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:59:00 EDT

Press Release
Sépaq

Pierre Arcand and Johanne Gonthier inaugurate a new sector of Parc national du Mont-Mégantic

Scotstown, October 24, 2011 - Today the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks, Pierre Arcand, and the Member of the National Assembly for Mégantic-Compton, Johanne Gonthier, are pleased to inaugurate a new sector of Parc national du Mont-Mégantic, the Franceville sector. Located close to the municipalities of Hampden, Scotstown and Val-Racine, the Franceville sector will provide hikers and campers with privileged access to a unique environment, characterized, most notably, by the Montagne de Franceville and the Mont Mégantic massif.

$2.9M invested since last year

Among the projects undertaken in the park, the construction of a new reception facility and the building of a campground were the focus of a $2.9M investment by the government of Québec. “I am so pleased to see that the results of this important investment have met our expectations. In the Franceville sector, there is now high quality reception infrastructure worthy of national park status and of a major tourist attraction. Since its opening in mid-September, many people have explored this new sector of the park and have been delighted by their experience,” stated the Minister, Mr. Arcand.

An additional $325,000 for the development of a network of trails

In addition to the $2.9M investment for reception and service infrastructure, $325,000 was added to develop new hiking trails and promote the Vallée du ruisseau de la Montagne and the majestic peaks of Franceville. This new network of trails, which will be further developed in the coming years, will allow Parc national du Mont-Mégantic to position itself as a top hiking spot in Québec. “Aside from the fact that it helps raise the profile of the Eastern Townships region all around the world, this project will have positive repercussions for the citizens and business people of Mégantic-Compton,” Ms. Gonthier contended. Hikers will be able to reconnect with the mountain starting this winter when the park opens the sector for a few weekends as of the end of January.

Sépaq estimates that the opening of the Franceville sector will result in 20,000 additional visits per year. Moreover, it should generate an additional $500,000 or so in economic spin-offs for the region and create seven seasonal jobs.

One park, two sectors

Located at the heart of the first international dark sky reserve, Parc national du Mont-Mégantic has a unique status within the Parcs Québec network. While the Observatoire sector is already renowned for its astronomy activities, the new Franceville sector will improve the park’s current offering thanks to the development of a new network of trails and the addition of a 47-space campground.

It is worth mentioning that when Parc national du Mont-Mégantic was created in 1994, the opening of a second sector was the centrepiece of the agreement reached with various local communities. It is also worth noting that the preservation of this territory is part of a bigger project designed to diversify the economy of the regional county municipality of Haut-Saint-François by transforming it into a tourist hub encompassing the Franceville sector, the future Parc régional de la rivière au Saumon and the village centre of the municipality of Scotstown.

$42.3M invested over four years across the entire national park network

Investments linked to renovation projects at Parc national du Mont-Mégantic come from a $42.3M budget allowance allocated to Sépaq in 2008. This sum is earmarked for the second phase of the promotion of our national parks, for the preservation of natural environments and for the upgrading of infrastructure so that our network can remain one of the finest national park networks in the world.

Parc national de Frontenac inaugurates its brand-new discovery and visitors centre

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:32:00 EDT

Press Release
Sépaq - 1968

Parc national de Frontenac inaugurates its brand-new discovery and visitors centre

Sainte-Praxète - In the company of Laurent Lessard, MNA for Frontenac and Quebec’s Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, the President and CEO of the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (Sépaq), Raymond Desjardins, and the Vice-President of Operations for Parcs Québec, Martin Soucy, inaugurated today the discovery and visitors centre at Parc national de Frontenac. This marked the conclusion of a series of essential construction projects at the park, all part and parcel of the second phase of development of our national parks. Mr. Desjardins and Mr. Soucy also took advantage of the occasion to launch the brand-new Park Path Explorer approach, underlining the beginning of an entirely different way of visiting and discovering the protected territories of the Parcs Québec network. This launching at Parc national de Frontenac is the third such event across the network, after those at Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier and Parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno. A number of other parks will follow in their footsteps over the next 15 months.

Discovery and visitors centres - at the heart of our national parks

The discovery and visitors centres found in most parks of the Parcs Québec network are products of various initiatives designed to develop and showcase our national parks. Presenting the special features and main attractions of their home territories, the centres also offer a vast array of customer services. “Seven new discovery and visitors centres will be built in the near future. However, this construction work was preceded by a period of in-depth reflection concerning Sépaq’s operations, especially in the areas of education and sustainable development,” Raymond Desjardins explains.

Building according to the principles of sustainable development

The first priority when planning, designing and building a discovery and visitors centre is to take into account the spirit of the place itself, both as regards the choice of location and the architectural approach and construction materials selected. The discovery and visitors centre at Parc national de Frontenac respects this philosophy in all its aspects. The new centre is perfectly incorporated into the landscape, and its construction was guided by environmental concerns, as reflected in the following measures:

reduction of water consumption through the use of low-flow equipment;
reduction of energy consumption through the construction of a high-performance building shell;
recovery of stones available on site for purposes of landscaping (tree wells, drainage ditches, etc.);
restoration of surfaces disturbed by the construction process through a choice of various indigenous plants representative of the park environment;
many more.

“In keeping with its mission, Sépaq is firmly committed to following the path of sustainable development. The construction of the discovery and visitors centre at Parc national de Frontenac speaks volumes in this regard,” asserts Raymond Desjardins, at the same time congratulating the Sépaq teams that participated in developing the project.

Rethinking how we do things: Park Path Explorer

Sépaq also assembled a multi-disciplinary team of professionals to rethink its educational package, especially so as to make education a more integral part of all facets of a visit to our national parks. For the last 12 years, Parcs Québec has been presenting high quality indoor thematic exhibits. However, “with time, we have realized that the traditional exhibit no long meets the needs of a new park clientele, which prefers direct contact with the territory itself,” points out Martin Soucy. "During the reflection process, a new approach quickly emerged: Park Path Explorer, which enhances the experience of discovering our parks and maintains the visibility of our network,” affirms Raymond Desjardins, proudly speaking of this innovative approach, the product of extensive teamwork at Sépaq.

Park Path Explorer

Park Path Explorer was developed by taking into account the need to highlight certain key attributes, natural or historical, of our national parks. First of all, we will connect with visitors where they naturally end up on arrival, in the common living area of the discovery and visitors centre, the launching pad for their discovery. The Park Path Explorer, which is also available on the Parcs Québec website, will initially lead people to discover what there is To See and To Do in the national park that they are visiting. This tool will also enable people to customize their visit by choosing among proposed walking, cycling or navigable paths, and “will serve to support the excellent work done by our reception team in the national parks,” Martin Soucy adds, by way of conclusion.

Launching of the Park Path Explorer at Parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:30:00 EDT

Press Release
Sépaq - 1966

Boucherville - The President and CEO of the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (Sépaq), Raymond Desjardins, the Vice-President of Operations for Parcs Québec, Martin Soucy, and the Director of Parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno, André Despatie, launched the new Park Path Explorer approach today. The launching marks the end of a series of essential construction projects at the park, all part and parcel of the second phase of development of our national parks. In a more general sense, this occasion also serves to highlight a brand-new way of discovering and visiting the territories protected by the Parcs Québec network. The launching at Parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno is the second such event to take place across the network, after Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier. Other parks will be following suit in the next 15 months.

Reviewing procedures

These development projects were preceded by an in-depth reflection on how things should be done at Parcs Québec, especially with respect to sustainable development and education. Sépaq assembled a multi-disciplinary team to rethink its educational package in order to

better fulfill the educational mission of the parks by incorporating its imperatives into all other facets of the visit;
help visitors realize the richness and fragility of the natural and historic elements that are developed and protected by the parks;
reinvent the role of the exhibit as part of the educational approach traditionally offered by the parks; and
renew the visitor experience at a time when communication methods are undergoing a profound transformation.

An open-air museum offering a wealth of discoveries

For the last 12 years, Parcs Québec has been presenting high quality indoor thematic exhibits. However, “with time, we have realized that the traditional exhibit no long meets the needs of a new park clientele, which prefers direct contact with the territory itself,” points out Martin Soucy, Vice-President of Operations for the national parks network. Based on the premise that nature is to parks what works of art may be to museums, it became obvious that parks are large open-air museums and that their main attraction is the outside world, encompassing their territory.

Park Path Explorer: a new way to discover our national parks

Park Path Explorer was developed by taking into account the need to highlight certain key attributes, natural or historical, of our national parks. First of all, we will connect with visitors where they naturally end up on arrival, in the common living area of the discovery and visitors centre (DVC), the launching pad for their discovery. The Park Path Explorer, which is also available on the Parcs Québec website, will initially lead people to discover what there is To See and To Do in the national park that they are visiting. This tool will also enable people to customize their visit by choosing among proposed walking, cycling or navigable paths, and “will serve to support the excellent work done by our reception team in the national parks,” Martin Soucy adds.

Once they have chosen their path, visitors can begin their visit, armed with an iPod, an iPhone or a brochure. The For further information tab will provide access to a series of thematic files, enabling visitors to learn more about the park before or after their visit.

Just like the interpretive panels that line the paths and the 500 discovery activities designed for guided tours or independent visits, the Park Path Explorer allows people to further their understanding of the parks’ mission. "By guiding visitors through their discoveries, we want to lead them to participate more actively in the mission to conserve our parks," Martin Soucy concludes, focusing on the task at hand.

An important park within our network

In 2010, Parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno inaugurated its new discovery and visitors centre. In a context characterized by the park’s ever-increasing popularity, it became necessary to revamp the DVC building, a place for meetings, learning and exchange, the real launching pad for discovery. Each and every year, over 750,000 visitors converge upon Parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno, making it the second most visited park in the network.

Since 2008, almost $2.4M has been invested in Parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno, enabling the construction of new buildings designed to receive its clientele. "Visitors can now take advantage of more modern facilities in order to fully appreciate their time at this park, located in the midst of a natural world typical of Montérégie,” concludes André Despatie.

Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier: Park Path Explorer and inauguration

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:25:00 EDT

Press Release
Sépaq

Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier is getting a facelift with the launching of Park Path Explorer and the inauguration of its discovery and visitors centre

Stoneham - The Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks, Pierre Arcand, the President and CEO of the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (Sépaq), Raymond Desjardins, and the Vice-President of Operations for Parcs Québec, Martin Soucy, were among those attending today’s launching of the new Park Path Explorer approach, a first for Quebec’s network of national parks. The completely refurbished discovery and visitors centre at Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier was also inaugurated today, marking the end of a series of essential construction projects at the park, all part and parcel of the second phase of development of our national parks.

Reviewing procedures

better fulfill the educational mission of the parks by incorporating its imperatives into all other facets of the visit;
help visitors realize the richness and fragility of the natural and historic elements that are developed and protected by the parks;
reinvent the role of the exhibit as part of the educational approach traditionally offered by the parks; and
renew the visitor experience at a time when communication methods are undergoing a profound transformation.

"During the reflection process, a new approach quickly emerged: the Park Path Explorer, which enhances the experience of discovering our parks and maintains the visibility of our network,” affirms Raymond Desjardins, proudly speaking of this new approach, the product of extensive teamwork at Sépaq. The inauguration of the discovery and visitors centre (DVC) at Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier is the first in a series of seven such events planned for our network in the weeks ahead.

An open-air museum offering a wealth of discoveries

Park Path Explorer: a new way to discover our national parks

Park Path Explorer was developed by taking into account the need to highlight certain key attributes, natural or historical, of our national parks. First of all, we will connect with visitors where they naturally end up on arrival, in the common living area of the DVC, the launching pad for their discovery. The Park Path Explorer, which is also available on the Parcs Québec website, will initially lead people to discover what there is To See and To Do in the national park that they are visiting. This tool will also enable people to customize their visit by choosing among proposed walking, cycling or navigable paths, and “will serve to support the excellent work done by our reception team in the national parks,” Martin Soucy adds.

Sustainable renovations

Whether as regards the planning, design or construction phases of a discovery and visitors centre, the principles of sustainable development are always taken into consideration. These principles have a bearing on both the orientation of a building and the choice of materials, equipment and facilities. For example, the DVC of Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier has been renovated mainly using materials from the building being replaced. In addition, the chosen lighting helps reduce light pollution, the wood is FSC certified, innovative technology is used to treat wastewater more effectively, and so on. "In keeping with its mission, the Société is resolutely committed to staying on the path of sustainable development. The completion of this discovery and visitors center is a prime example of our commitment,” says Raymond Desjardins.

The rental centre at Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier has also been expanded and shifted, so that it now faces the river where visitors can try their hand at canoeing, kayaking and mini-rafting. For its part, the amphitheatre has become a separate building. Lastly, the improvement and stabilization of Route de la Vallée, providing access to the DVC, has put a finishing touch to the series of projects. The opening of this road in winter had become a must in order for the park to develop a year-round offering commensurate with its national park status and befitting its location in an area renowned for an exceptional array of winter activities.

Gradual Increase in Québec National Park Access Fees

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:49:00 EDT

Press Release
Government of Québec
MNA for Mont-Royal
Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks

Québec, April 15, 2011 - Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks Pierre Arcand today confirmed that Québec National Park access fees are to rise as of April 16, 2011. This measure, which was included in the 2010-2011 Budget Speech, reflects the government’s will to update public service fee levels.

“Since they were set in 2001, Québec National Park access fees have never been brought up to date. This will enable the park network to make its access fees comparable to those collected by Parks Canada or Ontario Parks, and the increases will be introduced gradually over a period of five years,” Minister Arcand stated.

Preferential family and group rates are planned, as well as no-cost access for children under the age of six and Québec school groups. Frequent visitors will continue to benefit from a yearly, reduced rate pass that provides access to all parks in the network. For example, starting on April 16, 2011, the adult access rate will rise from $3.50 to $5.50, the family rate (two adults and children) will go from $7 to $11 and the annual family pass for all parks, which now costs $70, will rise to $99.

It should be noted that this increase will mean additional revenue for the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (Sépaq) and the Kativik Regional Government, which currently manage Québec National Parks. “This change will make it possible for us to maintain quality user services, particularly in regard to educational and conservation programs in these protected areas,” declared Sépaq president Raymond Desjardins.

The new access fee structure is available at www.parcsquebec.com.

Government of Québec

MNA for Mont-Royal

Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks

Sépaq wins TIAC’s prestigious Business of the Year Award – Multiple Units

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:16:00 EDT

Press Release
Sépaq - 1214

Quebec - The Société des établissements de plein air du Québec is proud to announce that it received last night one of the prestigious National Awards for Tourism Excellence. Bestowed by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) as part of Canada’s Tourism Leadership Summit, the Business of the Year Award – Multiple Units recognizes businesses that have demonstrated exemplary industry practices in all aspects of their operations and that are an example of business excellence in the tourism field. "Customer satisfaction, innovation, an entrepreneurial spirit and staff involvement are among the values that have guided Sépaq for 25 years and that undoubtedly contributed to the jury’s choice," declared Claude Beaudoin, Vice-President of Marketing, Sépaq, proudly.

From a simple manager of recreational tourism facilities, Sépaq has become over the years, namely since 1985, a true leader in nature tourism. A multitude of activities promote the development and discovery of its numerous establishments: 22 national parks, a marine park, Aquarium du Québec, 15 wildlife reserves, an outfitting establishment on Île d’Anticosti, Chic-Chocs Mountain Lodge and 7 resorts. Sépaq plays host to a faithful and very satisfied annual clientele (6.2 million visitor days). "Our decentralized and associative management style has allowed us to develop solid partnerships in 16 regions of Québec, where our activities generate major economic spin-offs," added Raymond Desjardins, President-CEO of the Société. He also made a point of underscoring the tangible contribution of all Sépaq employees to this success.

Sépaq is a dynamic corporation that oversees a natural and cultural heritage of immense wealth. It is concerned about the preservation of this heritage and is fully aware of the responsibilities that it has by virtue of its mission. This award is a token of the future in which Sépaq sees itself as a creative corporation, resolutely geared to sustainable development, with a highly motivated staff and outstanding assets supported by a loyal clientele.

Nouvelles de Parcs Québec

Fishing holidays and vacation stays: Reservations can be made as of this coming Friday

Reservation calendar

FRIDAYNovember 25, 2011

SUNDAYNovember 27, 2011

WEDNESDAYNovember 30, 2011

FRIDAYDecember 2, 2011

SATURDAYDecember 3, 2011

SUNDAYDecember 4, 2011

A call to action to promote Quebec youth in contact with Nature

Offering a vast array of original activities

School programs: increasingly appreciated by all concerned

Pierre Arcand and Johanne Gonthier inaugurate a new sector

$2.9M invested since last year

An additional $325,000 for the development of a network of trails

One park, two sectors

$42.3M invested over four years across the entire national park network

Parc national de Frontenac inaugurates its brand-new discovery and visitors centre

Discovery and visitors centres - at the heart of our national parks

Building according to the principles of sustainable development

Rethinking how we do things: Park Path Explorer

Launching of the Park Path Explorer at Parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno

Reviewing procedures

An open-air museum offering a wealth of discoveries

Park Path Explorer: a new way to discover our national parks

An important park within our network

Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier: Park Path Explorer and inauguration

Reviewing procedures

An open-air museum offering a wealth of discoveries

Park Path Explorer: a new way to discover our national parks

Sustainable renovations

Gradual Increase in Québec National Park Access Fees

Sépaq wins TIAC’s prestigious Business of the Year Award – Multiple Units

FRIDAY
November 25, 2011

SUNDAY
November 27, 2011

WEDNESDAY
November 30, 2011

FRIDAY
December 2, 2011

SATURDAY
December 3, 2011

SUNDAY
December 4, 2011