Public Notice

Removal of the Ville de Vanier wreckage from the Lac Leamy outlet in Gatineau, Quebec – Public Comments Invited

May 15, 2024 – The Canadian Coast Guard (DFO-CCG) must determine whether the proposed removal of the Ville de Vanier wreckage from the Lac Leamy outlet in Gatineau is likely to cause significant adverse effects on the environment.

In order to contribute to an informed determination, the DFO-GCC invites the public to provide comments on this determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.

Written comments must be submitted by June 15, 2024 to:

Éric Esclamadon
Email : eric.esclamadon@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The Proposed Project

The wreck of the schooner Ville de Vanier (also called " Jean Richard ") is located in the outlet of Lake Leamy, near its mouth with the Ottawa River. The wreck is located on National Capital Commission (NCC) territory, and the NCC is acting as the federal authority for the Ville de Vanier removal project. It is a sailboat built in 1959 approximately 33m (100ft) in length. The wreck was identified as a Potential Vessel of Concern in 2019 under the CCG's Vessels of Concern program. An initial risk assessment was then carried out by officers from the Vessels of Concern program in August 2020, followed by a marine inspection in December 2020, which identified safety hazards for pedestrian and boating users that occur. would approach the wreckage with the presence of "spyke"-type nails or restraint and iron fasteners on the wreckage, both in the emerged and submerged parts. The inspections also raised the possibility of a collapse of the starboard part within the next five years, which would create a risk of collision for boaters crossing the landfill.

The worksite areas will be limited to the areas already anthropized, i.e. existing storage areas located approximately 130 m west of the wreck. Access to the site will be via an existing access road from Fournier Boulevard. Access to the water will be via an existing boat launch near an area already set up for storage. A turbidity curtain will be put in place before the work to prevent the increase of suspended matter in the aquatic environment. The pieces of wreckage will be cut near the surface of the streambed. Only the part located above the sediment will be removed to reduce the impact on the seabed. Pieces or debris that are buried in the sediment will be left in place.