For today’s chronicle-seeing, a flight over the eroded banks of the Minganie region, about an hour’s drive west of Havre-Saint-Pierre, on the Quebec North Shore. This photo was taken in June 2025.
“When I went to do my recent Minganie round, I asked my friend and seaplane pilot to bring me in the place where we best see the erosion of the banks,” says Pierre Lahoud. He brought me here, somewhere between the mouths of the Saint-Jean and Magpie rivers. ”
“It is a frightening desolation to see how the cliffs are sinking into the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence,” continues the historian, author and photographer. It’s appalling! I would even tell you that it’s catastrophic! “
“It seems that we have observed in certain places more than 60 feet losses [18 mètres] in the field. In terms of coastal width, we speak several kilometers. It’s huge! ” he says.
“It shows us how much more importantly climatic disturbances are manifested,” worries Mr. Lahoud. And that the Saint-Laurent coast is likely to be strongly disturbed. Even the small road [qu’on voit au haut de l’image] possibly disappeared. “
Like in Gaspésie …
“It’s been a long time since I went back to the Gaspé, but I know that we observe the same phenomenon [d’érosion]. What should it be for the roads that wanted to be tourist, still located by the river? ” he asks.
“Same thing for the railway towards the Gaspé, which takes so long to get. It is located so close to the edge of the coast, so imagine the consolidation work which then becomes necessary! ” ends Mr. Lahoud.
Interview by Francis Higgins
Info: pierrelahoud.com
In what places in the province have you observed climate change indices on the landscape? Share your experience in the comments section at the bottom of this article.
