Protecting Our Rivers: A Growing Movement That Starts Close to Home
On September 19, more than 425 kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding enthusiasts are expected to take to the Rivière du Nord, between Mirabel and Lachute. Their goal? To enjoy the beauty of this waterway while also coming together to help better protect Quebec’s rivers.
Organized by Fondation Rivières, in collaboration with Canot Kayak Québec, La grande descente is part of the movement surrounding World Rivers Day, which will be celebrated this year on September 27.
A Great River Descent for Our Rivers
Source: Fondation Rivières
For the third year, participants of all ages are invited to travel a 10-kilometre route together along the Rivière du Nord. Actor Roy Dupuis, spokesperson for the event, is also inviting the public to join the movement in a video message (in French only).
The descent will be followed by a festive gathering at Richelieu Park, featuring games, music, food, and an auction.
The event also has a $75,000 fundraising goal to support the work of Fondation Rivières and Canot Kayak Québec.
For more than 20 years, the Foundation has worked to promote access to, protection, appreciation, and restoration of Quebec’s rivers. Its work includes contributing to public debate, advancing knowledge, and proposing solutions to ensure the responsible and sustainable use of these natural environments.
Thousands of Rivers, a Heritage to Protect
La grande descente takes on even greater meaning as World Rivers Day approaches. Celebrated on the fourth Sunday of September, the day is observed in more than 100 countries.
Created in 2005 in the context of the United Nations International Decade for Action, “Water for Life,” World Rivers Day was inspired by the work of Canadian Mark Angelo, who launched British Columbia Rivers Day in 1980.
The day reminds us that rivers are much more than beautiful landscapes. They sustain ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities. Their health is closely connected to our own.
Water at the Heart of the Season of Creation and SNJM Commitments
This movement has particular resonance during the 2026 Season of Creation, centred on the theme “Living Water.” Protecting rivers also means protecting a resource that is essential to all forms of life.
For the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), this issue is part of a longstanding commitment. In 2008, they adopted their first public collective stand, recognizing access to water as a universal human right. Today, they continue their commitment to integral ecology, which calls us to consider the protection of the planet, human dignity, and social justice together.
From the gathering on the Rivière du Nord to World Rivers Day, the message remains the same: caring for water means caring for all living things and for our shared future.