GRANTS TO SUPPORT SHORELINE REVEGETATION PROJECTS
Following the adoption of the Water Master Plan in 2020, the Municipality of Val-des-Monts has launched a subsidy program to support residents who want to revegetate the shoreline of their property and thus improve its eco-friendliness. Specifically, the subsidies are for the purchase of native plants, and you also receive the Municipality’s guidance and advice in the process.
The financial aid covers 50% of the purchase price of native trees, shrubs and perennials planted on the shoreline, up to a maximum of $400 per shoreline property. Taxes are not refunded, however.
Before your application is processed, a municipal employee conducts a site visit to give you proper guidance and to offer advice and recommendations, if you so wish.
To take part in the program, you need to request a permit under Revégétalisation sur la rive – Subvention – Gratuit.
Why joining the program and revegetating your shoreline helps
Maintaining a well-vegetated shoreline matters because it plays a vital role in keeping waterways healthy. Here are some of the benefits provided by good waterfront vegetation:
- Fights erosion
- Stabilizes banks
- Stems the spread of algae and aquatic plants
- Improves water clarity
- Promotes biodiversity
- Shields against winds and the erosion they can cause
- Captures greenhouse gases
- Regulates water flow and its possible flooding risks
- Regulates temperature
- Improves the shore’s ability to filter and absorb unwanted nutrients.
How to take action?
Option 1: Let things grow
- Keep the vegetation as is, and species diversity will take hold at its own pace.
Option 2: Plant
- Renaturalize your shoreline with native species suited for that location.
- Draw inspiration from the vegetation growing naturally on neighbouring shorelines.
- See if you’re eligible for financial assistance through a shoreline revegetation grant.
More ways to improve your shoreline and protect your waterway
- Make your water access diagonal or winding. This design forces most runoff to filter through your vegetation and seep into the soil before reaching the lake or waterway. The filtration and absorption reduce the amount of potentially harmful nutrients like phosphorous entering the water.
- Keep your sanitary facilities in proper working order.
- Avoid using fertilizers and pesticides.
Regulations governing shoreline buffer zones
The MRC des Collines‑de‑l’Outaouais regulates this facet of water management.
Current rules require that the first five metres of the buffer zone be renaturalized, starting at the high-water line. In other words, the area must be left in its original state.
Val-des-Monts, for its part, requires a 15-metre shoreline buffer zone and limits water-access points to no more than five metres wide.
To learn more about municipal shoreline regulations, see article 11 of Zoning By-law 436-99.
GRANTS FOR WASHABLE DIAPERS
The Municipality of Val-des-Monts supports families by offering a subsidy equal to 50% of the purchase price of cloth diapers “before taxes”, up to a maximum of $100 per child under the age of two. While giving a helping hand to families, this initiative is also designed to help reduce the volume of disposable diapers sent to landfills.
Though disposable diapers at first glance seem to be the best choice because they’re so easy to use and dispense with, cloth diapers have been shown to save families up to $1000 per child. Also, using cloth diapers, while requiring water for washing and optional disposable liners, is more environmentally friendly than manufacturing and processing disposable diapers. If you’re wondering about the benefits of cloth diapers, consider this:
- Washable diapers save you money
For the two-and-a-half-year span you’ll need diapers, the single-use ones will cost you between $2,500 and $3,000. In contrast, a set of washable, reusable diapers comes to as little as $300 over the same period. That’s a massive difference, even if you factor in the cost of two or three extra loads of laundry every week. And if you can use the same diapers for your next baby, the savings are even more substantial.
- Washable diapers are easy to use
Dreading the idea of safety pins, plastic undergarments and dirty-diaper laundering? Rest assured: things have evolved. Modern reusable diapers have Velcro fasteners or snap-on buttons, as well as high-tech moisture-proof fabric. You can also use biodegradable wipes to ease cleaning.
- Washable diapers go easy on the environment
For every baby using disposable diapers, between one and two tonnes of waste heads to landfills after. In ideal conditions, a single one of these diapers would take 500 years to biodegrade, but such conditions simply don’t exist in current landfill sites. Even for so-called biodegradable disposable diapers, disappearance is painfully slow. So, if you want to apply the principles of reducing, reusing and recycling, your logical choice is washable diapers.
- Washable diapers are comfortable
For your baby, nothing beats the delicate feel of a cloth diaper on the skin. Plus, washable cloth diapers not only let more air circulate, but also prevent overheating. Finally, babies who wear cloth diapers get changed more often, and that’s a very healthy practice.