Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - PRMHH

Do you have a question that is not listed below? Feel free to ask it via the form at the bottom of the page.

This FAQ is inspired by Environnement Mauricie's FAQ. We would like to thank them.

1 - What will the PRMHHs be used for?

Answer: This is a planning tool, such as a development plan, not a regulation. Therefore, it will be used to propose courses of action to be carried out at the watershed level and not at the property level. The ultimate goal is to protect wetlands and water bodies (MHH) in order to preserve their essential functions such as filtering drinking water and reducing the risk of flooding.

2 - What lands will be considered in the PRMHHs?

Answer: The PRMHHs apply to wetlands (marshes, swamps, peat bogs) located on private land and to all water bodies (lakes and rivers).

3. What are the roles of MRCs and watershed organizations (OBVs) in the implementation of the PRMHHs?

Answer: The Government of Quebec has entrusted the MRCs of Quebec with the role of developing the PRMHHs. As part of this development, Quebec MRCs must consult and collaborate with the OBVs, regional round tables, ZIP committees (zones d'intervention prioritaire), regional environmental councils (CREs) and adjacent MRCs. 

In the Outaouais, the 4 rural and semi-rural MRCs have given the CREDDO the mandate to lead the consultation process for the development of their PRMHH. These PRMHHs will have to comply with the requirements presented in the Writing Guide. The CREDDO is therefore consulting the various organizations mentioned above. Various recommendations, based on scientific data regarding MHHs, will be made to the MRCs. It will be the role of the MRCs to determine which MHH to conserve, restore or create.

4 - Will PRMHHs take climate change into account?

Answer: Absolutely! According to the Writing Guide, a PRMHH must meet three principles to be approved:

1. To promote the achievement of the no net loss principle;

2. Ensure consistent watershed management;

3. Take into account the issues related to climate change.

In particular, it is adaptation to climate change that must and will be considered in the PRMHHs.

5 - What criteria will be used to prioritize the wetlands and water bodies (MHHs) of interest?

Answer: These criteria will be determined by experts during the MHH diagnostic phase, which will be completed in early summer 2021. The MHHs will be prioritized based on the importance of the ecosystem functions they perform, according to the issues specific to the territory. For example, MHHs that regulate water levels are likely to be prioritized in areas at risk of flooding.

6 - Will the criteria used to identify wetlands and water bodies of interest be the same for the entire region?

Answer: By working together in a concerted approach, MRCs promote regional consistency. However, each territory has its own characteristics and issues. It is therefore possible that there may be some differences in the way MHHs are prioritized among the territories.

7 - Will threatened or vulnerable species be considered in the PRMHHs?

Answer: Yes, these species will be considered based on the most up-to-date information available to us.

8 - Will ecological corridors (passages between natural environments that allow species to move) be considered in the PRMHHs?

Answer: This will depend on the data that is available for each of the territories as well as the selection criteria that will be at the centre of the prioritization methodology.