Important warning: safe behaviour on the ice of the St. Lawrence River

February 9, 2024

Quebec City, Quebec - The Canadian Coast Guard, Central Region, and the Ministère de la Sécurité publique du Québec want to remind the public that it can be very dangerous to venture out on the ice of the St. Lawrence River. We are experiencing a particularly mild winter with prolonged above normal temperatures which has delayed the consolidation of the fast ice. The ice is too thin to allow for safe activities, so we recommend that you do not go out on the ice. Strong winds combined with higher temperatures could cause breakup of the pack ice which is already weakened and cracked in many places. Icebreakers could be called in if these pieces represent a risk for navigation. We advise you to be extra vigilant, especially in the Lake Saint-Pierre area.

Remember that it is also dangerous, at all times, to venture out on the ice when an icebreaker,  a hovercraft or any other vessel is in the vicinity. Ice movements can occur and represent a real danger for anyone in the operational area of these vessels. The same applies when equipment is on the ice.

Therefore, The Canadian Coast Guard and the Ministère de la Sécurité publique du Québec strongly recommend that walkers, fishermen and snowmobilers do not remain on the ice when they see icebreakers or other vessels in the immediate vicinity.

Coast Guard icebreakers can be identified by their red hulls with a white cross stripe down the middle and their white smokestacks with a maple leaf.