Landing bands in Saint-Hippolyte | Standoff at the water’s edge

(Saint-Hippolyte) “We are not criminals! Therefore, », Denounces Alexandre St-Jacques Burke. Similarly, Since the beginning of the summer. However, he and his neighbors, who have been brought to Saint-Hippolyte, in the Laurentians, have received savory fines due to inadequate ripple bands. In addition, The municipality defends itself by saying that it raises awareness of its citizens for this situation for 15 years now.

A riparian strip is the plot of land that borders lakes. landing bands saint-hippolyte | standoff Furthermore, rivers. Similarly, Important for the health of water bodies. Furthermore, it prevents soil erosion and the proliferation of harmful algae in addition to refreshing the water’s edge.

Provincial regulation prohibits human arrangements there. Consequently, such as replacing plants in the riparian band with lawn, riprap or a concrete wall. Moreover, In Saint-Hippolyte, it is forbidden to control vegetation in the Riveraine tape, which has been established five meters since 2007.

In the spring of 2022, the municipality carried out an inspection of the banks of all its lakes. Consequently, She found that almost half of the branches on private terrains were still not in conformity. For example, “In all this period, the awareness that has been made did not serve much,” laments Mayor Yves Dagenais.

In 2024, the mayor decided to apply the regulations once and for all, after multiple moratories. Additionally, For example, The municipality sent a letter to each resident to warn him that inspections were going to take place. For example, and that the offenders would receive fines. Similarly, Until July 16, it was bailiffs who put these fines.

According to figures from the municipality, in 2024, 104 observations were given in any Saint-Hippolyte and 24 in 2025.

Outreated residents

Since May. Moreover, Alexandre St-Jacques Burke, Jocelyn Rochette and Réjean Lepage have all received landing bands saint-hippolyte | standoff fines of around $ 1,400 because their riparian strips were not in conformity. The three residents dispute their fines.

Réjean Lepage has a residence on Lake Connelly, the second lake of Saint-Hippolyte for the area. In September 2024, he received an opinion on his door after the passage of an inspector. Two months later, he received a fine of $ 1,350.

The municipality reproached him for storing boats, mowing his lawn and having a round of fire in the riparian band. He disputes this fine.

“My land is under a pine. With the branches that fall, nothing grows under a pine. I don’t cut this lawn. As for boats, it would rather be kayaks and paddle boards there. “It is in the field of deep ridicule,” he argues.

“We don’t landing bands saint-hippolyte | standoff want people to store things inside [de la bande riveraine] To prevent the vegetation from pushing. ”explains Geneviève Simard, director of the environmental service of the municipality. But it is still allowed to store a kayak in access to the lake with a width of five meters.

Réjean Lepage protests that he had no prior opinion. “I receive that, without opinion, without discussion. »»

“But. in 2022, recalls Mathieu Meunier, director general of the municipality, all the residents received letters, as in 2024, which landing bands saint-hippolyte | standoff announced that inspectors were going to pass and that there would be contraventions for the control of the vegetation. »»

However. the application of this regulation can be complex: as proof, in the court of Jocelyn Rochette, flags help him to follow the multiple regulations.

In 2021, an inspector passed in his court. He ordered him to plant shrubs, stop mowing the lawn and removing rocks. The blue flags mark the changes following this inspection.

Last May, an inspector passed and gave him a fine. “However, nothing changed between 2021 and 2025 on my field,” says Jocelyn Rochette.

The orange flags mark what Jocelyn has changed, following the inspector’s visit this year. Finally, the pink flag shows the end of the riparian band, posed by the inspector. As has seen landing bands saint-hippolyte | standoff The presshis hammock is therefore in the Riveraine band, which marks a fault, himself admits the resident.

Landing bands saint-hippolyte | standoff

A “rider” treatment

On July 14, Alexandre St-Jacques Burke and his neighbor sent a formal notice to the municipality. They denounce the “rider and abusive” approach in the application of regulations. Bailiffs who put fines from citizens, it is “excessive”, they denounce.

“We are not criminals!” Says Alexandre St-Jacques Burke.

Moreover, by comparing with other municipalities, residents say that Saint-Hippolyte is a rider alone using bailiffs.

In the region, the city of Prévost does not yet distribute fines with regard to residents. The city of Sainte-Adèle uses registered mail or a bailiff. In Sainte-Sophie, bailiffs can be used, but in the event of a last resort. It is the same for the city of Saint-Agathe-des-Monts.

With the bailiffs, the municipality is legal certainty that the letter was handed over, underlines Geneviève Simard. But the use of bailiffs was perhaps not the best thing, landing bands saint-hippolyte | standoff admits the mayor Yves Dagenais. “It can be aggressive. But there is no good way to apply the regulations. »»

However. on July 16, the municipal council ruled that it put an end to the use of bailiffs, in order to promote a more “conciliatory” approach.