Against overtourism, Quebec residents express strong negative reaction

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Each summer, Old Quebec’s alleys and streets – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – are thronged with tourists, however some locals are up in arms, concerned regarding the city being overrun by out-of-towners.

Francois Marchand is one of the anxious residents, is a lawyer and urban planner who works in Old Quebec. He explained that he fears that flood of tourists will result the neighborhood to lose its attraction and push several locals to move elsewhere.

“The population is diminishing (and) decreasing. We lost 500 people in (the) Vieux Quebec (neighbourhood) in the last 10 years,” he informed CTV News Montreal. “That’s about 10 per cent of the 5,000 people.”

At recent public consultations about the plan of the city to keep its UNESCO World Heritage Site status, Marchand quarreled that the streets within the old walls are transforming dramatically.

The evils, he said, is mainly obvious during the summer and cause “traffic jams, noise and too many people in the same place at the same time.”

Raymond Taillefer, a member of the Old Quebec citizens’ committee, explained that the rush of tourists is happening mainly when many local services, like a popular market at the Old Port, are moving to different neighborhoods.

“What they’re doing with this market just behind me is something that we don’t accept,” he said, gesturing to the market. “In about two months’ time, this will be demolished.”

Taillefer stated that he considers the services are shifting because of the rising number of massive cruise ships that are docking in the city.

By 2025, the Quebec Port Authority expects to have 400,000 cruise ship passengers dock in the city which is double the current numbers of the city.

Taillefer explained that he doesn’t think the city can run the additional heavy load, and is worried about “noise, pollution (and) overcrowding.”

However some city officials differ and say they’re receiving positive feedback.

“Of course, it depends on who you talk to,” said Marie-Josee Savard, a city councilor. She said shopkeepers in the city’s bustling commercial area, Quartier Petit Champlain, told her they’re “very happy about all the tourists coming.”

« Back to Page

• Eastern Townships: Quebec’s unique ski destination

• Government of Canada launches $21.1M boost for Quebec’s Tourism industry

• Quebec Wildfires: Section of Route 113 closed

• Quebec wildfires situation may turn critical

• U.S.: Wildfire evacuees set to return home in northern Quebec town