RWQC: River Water Quality Committee
The first Canada–Quebec joint environment program of the St. Lawrence was carried out from 1973 to 1978. The Committee published a technical report that described various water quality problems and suggested ways to deal with them. The Committee’s recommendations were submitted to the Quebec Minister responsible for the Environment and the federal Minister of Fisheries and the Environment. A synopsis of the final report is contained in the document entitled "A Plan for the St Lawrence."

PAEQ: Programme d’assainissement des eaux du Québec
[Quebec wastewater treatment program]
Developed by the Quebec Department of the Environment in 1978, the PAEQ came under the responsibility of the Department of Municipal Affairs in 1994. At the same time, its name was changed to the Programme d’assainissement des eaux municipales (PADEM) [municipal water treatment program]. At the end of its five-year mandate, PADEM will be replaced by the Eaux Vives du Québec [clear water] program, which will run until 2003. Despite their different names, these programs all share one very clear objective: to treat the waste water of close to 98% of the population served by sewer systems. This eans attacking organic and bacteriological pollution from municipal sewage. The results achieved to date are remarkable. For more information, check out the following Internet site: http://www.mam.gouv.qc.ca/ (Web site available in French only).

SLAP: St Lawrence Action Plan
Following the federal government’s announcement of the St Lawrence Action Plan in 1988, a Canada–Quebec agreement was signed in 1989 with as one of its main objectives to combat chemical pollution in the St Lawrence River. The Plan’s second five-year phase was launched in 1993 and a third phase in 1998. Now known as St. Lawrence Vision 2000, the Action Plan has a wide-ranging and ambitious mandate: to successfully clean up the St Lawrence River. Sustainable development, community involvement and saving wildlife species and habitat are some of the action plan’s many objectives. To learn about  results that have been achieved since 1988, consult the section "Ten years of achievements".

PRRI: Programme de réduction des rejets industriels
[Industrial waste reduction Program]
On May 11, 1988, the Quebec Cabinet ratified the new industrial waste reduction strategy (PRRI) proposed by the Quebec Department of the Environment. The strategy is an extension of the clean-up efforts begun under the PAEQ. The PRRI has two major objectives: to reduce contaminant discharges by industry, particularly toxic substances, and to increase the protection of receiving bodies of water. The program is bared on integrated action on water, air and soil and introduces a licensing system requiring clean-up certificates. The Environment Quality Act was modified in December 1988 and three decrees followed in April 1993. One of the decrees required establishments in a first industrial section (pulp and paper) to apply for clean-up certificates. You can also visit the Web site of the ministère de l'Environnement du Québec.

 PRS: Pesticide Reduction Strategy
Implemented in 1992 by the Quebec Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ), the strategy has two objectives: to reduce the quantity of pesticides used by Quebec farmers and the increase in the amount of farmland on which integrated pest management methods are used. An article published in the December 1998 issue of Le Fleuve contains a good explanation of the strategy. The Agro-environmental Pesticide Reduction Strategy Support Program was initiated under the St. Lawrence Action Plan in order to support efforts to promote more environmentally friendly crop pest management practices. For more information about the program, see the Le Fleuve Newsletter or visit the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec Web site.