Water stakeholders in Brome-Missisquoi mobilize to plan the sustainable management of the resource

Brome-Missisquoi, November 26, 2025 – As the historic 2025 drought underscores the urgent need to protect water resources, the MRC of Brome-Missisquoi brought together nearly 60 participants yesterday—including municipalities, researchers, and local water stakeholders—for the 2025 Water Café, held at Espace Konect in Bromont. This collaborative workshop was organized in partnership with Université Laval and the INRS – Water Earth Environment Research Centre (INRS-ETE), with the collaboration of the Quebec Groundwater Network (RQES).

A Collaborative Approach for a Shared Vision

During this day of consultation and collective brainstorming, participants discussed key themes related to water resources: resource protection, climate resilience of water supplies, land-use planning, water use management, and regional governance. Inspired by the World Café format, the activity enabled the emergence of new ideas, directions, and visions for sustainable and resilient water management in the MRC.

GÉREAU Project: A Pilot Model for MRCs

This activity is part of the GÉREAU Project (Regional Water Resource Management), a pilot initiative aimed at developing a reproducible model for integrated water-resource planning at the MRC scale. The project is funded by the Blue Fund under the Water Action Plan of Québec’s Water Strategy, which deploys concrete measures to protect, use, and manage water and aquatic environments responsibly, cohesively, and sustainably. The project is led by Université Laval and INRS-ETE. In Brome-Missisquoi, it is closely tied to the revision of the Land Use and Development Plan (SAD), which must now align with new government directives on water resources, as well as the development of the Climate Plan.

Real Challenges for the Brome-Missisquoi Territory

“The droughts of 2021 and 2025 have shown that some water supply systems can become vulnerable. With climate change, we must prepare for longer and more intense low-water periods. Collaboration is essential to build a strong and sustainable regional water management plan,” said François Huchet, Research Officer at INRS.

“Today’s discussions help us move forward together toward balanced and sustainable water management. This is a priority for our entire community,” added Daniel Tétreault, Deputy Prefect of the Brome-Missisquoi MRC.

Next Steps

The next steps, presented by Laval University, involve analyzing the ideas collected and integrating them into regional planning tools. These elements will guide future work with water stakeholders and strengthen collaboration to sustainably protect this essential resource.

For more information:

GÉREAU Project: https://gereau.esad.ulaval.ca/ (French only)
SAD Revision & Climate Plan: https://www.mrcbm.qc.ca/projets-consultatifs

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For interview:
Nacim Khennache
Development planner
450 266-4900, ext. 277
nkhennache@mrcbm.qc.ca

Media Contact:
Isabelle Paquette
Communications Advisor
Brome-Missisquoi MRC
450-266-4900, ext. 241
ipaquette@mrcbm.qc.ca