QUÉBEC CITY –The Canadian Coast Guard would like to notify the residents of Repentigny and those living along the shore of the L’Assomption, Prairies, Mille-Îles and Châteauguay Rivers that spring icebreaking operations will begin on on or about Sunday, March 20th, 2009.
The purpose of this yearly operation is to dislodge ice at the entrance of the tributaries in order to prevent ice jams and flooding that can result from the spring break-up.
Owners of facilities on the ice should move them safely ashore. The Canadian Coast Guard strongly recommends that pedestrians, fishers and snowmobilers leave the ice when they see the hovercraft in the immediate vicinity. The ice may move, and this may create a danger for anyone in the area of the Canadian Coast Guard vessel.
The operation will be carried out by the Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft ACV Sipu Muin, an air-cushion vehicle whose engines produce a noise similar to an aircraft.
Nathalie Letendre
Communications Advisor
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Quebec Region
418-649-6297