The Regulation to amend the Regulation respecting the regulatory scheme applying to activities on the basis of their environmental impact, enacted by the Gouvernement du Québec through Order in Council 475-2025 introduces several updates and clarifications to existing environmental regulatory frameworks. The powers granted by the Environment Quality Act and the Act to affirm the collective nature of water resources, this regulation modifies procedural and technical requirements primarily concerning water withdrawal activities.

A central focus of the amended regulation is the requirement for more detailed information regarding water withdrawal sites. For withdrawals governed by the Regulation respecting the declaration of water withdrawals and those considered as water use under the Regulation respecting the charges payable for the use of water, applicants must now justify instances where measuring equipment cannot be installed. These justifications must include reasons and alternative methods used to determine water volumes. If equipment is used, applicants must provide detailed descriptions of the devices, their placement, and associated installation measures. This change aims to improve transparency and ensure accurate monitoring of water use.

The amendments also revise the requirements for technical documentation that must accompany authorization applications. Specifically, they call for a technical report on the water withdrawal scenario that demonstrates the rationality of the withdrawal. This report must include a professional assessment of water needs, detailed descriptions of the planned withdrawals—such as volume and timing—and an evaluation of the capacity of facilities to meet these needs.

Additionally, the regulation updates definitions related to agricultural and aquacultural water use. Withdrawals of 379,000 litres or more per day are now explicitly tied to purposes including animal raising, fruit and vegetable washing, plant or mushroom cultivation, maple syrup production, and operation of fishing ponds or aquaculture sites.

New provisions also acknowledge certain water withdrawal activities that fall outside the scope of regular regulatory timelines. Specifically, withdrawals associated with dredging work are now recognized as a separate category within the regulation. Furthermore, transitional provisions have been introduced for withdrawals under specific thresholds or used for designated agricultural and aquacultural purposes. For instance, water withdrawals of less than 200,000 litres per day are permitted until August 14, 2029. Those involving volumes over 1.5 million litres per day have staggered deadlines, with larger volumes allowed until August 2030 and intermediate volumes until August 2031. These staggered expiration dates grant users time to adjust operations and seek necessary authorizations under the updated legal framework.

Quebec (475-2025) April 9, 2025
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