As an adjunct to road travel, numerous ferries offer year-round or seasonal service on the St. Lawrence and other major rivers (including the Saguenay, Saint-Maurice, Richelieu and Outaouais). Pleasure boating is also highly popular on these waterways.
Gulf ahoy!
A ferry links Prince Edward Island to the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, which can also be accessed by cruise ship from Montréal or Québec City. A passenger-freight ship leaving from Rimouski serves the entire Basse-Côte-Nord region between Kegaska (where Route 138 comes to an end), Île d'Anticosti and Blanc-Sablon. Reservations are recommended, particularly during peak season.
Pleasure boating
Thanks to the Association maritime du Québec’s new voluntary classification program, some 50 of the province’s recreational marinas now have one to five “golden anchor” ratings. This organization also runs the Eco-Marina certification program as well as the nautical station program, a network of 15 of Québec's main marine destinations.
Proof of competency for pleasure boating is required :
In Québec, if you operate a boat with a motor and use it for recreation, you need proof of competency — something that shows you have a basic understanding of how to operate your boat safely and know what to do in an emergency. Proof of competency is required with all motor types (including electric trolling motors) and even when the motor is not in use (such as when sailing).
For a visitor to Québec, an operator card or other document that meets the requirements of his or her home state or country. More informations.