Sainte-Anne-de Beaupré Dock

The goal of the Corporation de développement du quai de Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré’s project was to refurbish the dock to ensure its longevity, thereby providing safe access to the river and transforming it into a lively space conducive to recreational and tourism development by welcoming visitors via cruise ships.

The mandate of Norda Stelo was to design a structure with a minimum lifespan of 50 years, including the reconstruction of the dock (with a slight expansion), rest areas, water features, public art, a promenade, and a giant staircase providing access to the river for small boats (canoes, kayaks, etc.), as well as bollards for mooring small cruise ships. 

The main challenge associated with the project stemmed from the high sensitivity of the surrounding natural environment, notably the presence of wetlands hosting plant species with endangered status, areas of concentration for waterfowl, and the presence of fish species with endangered status, including striped bass.

The mandate involved completing the work within the very tight budget allocated by the client, which was a challenge. Furthermore, this challenge was compounded by the fact that the dock is located in an area with significant tidal variation in the Saint Lawrence River, and the work had to be carried out exclusively outside the sensitive fish period, from May 15 to November 1.  Also, a compensation project for the permanent loss of fish habitat on the shoreline was developed and carried out near the dock. As the new dock was required to have a minimum lifespan of 50 years, the planning of the work had to consider the anticipated rise of the Saint Lawrence River and changing weather events due to climate change.

The rehabilitation of the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré dock was designed in an innovative way, incorporating a significant environmental component that could serve as a model for future similar projects. 

In fact, the monitoring of vegetation recovery conducted during the first and third years following the completion of the work demonstrated success, with no corrective measures required. 

Given the limited budget and the authorized period for in-water work (from November to May), Norda Stelo’s experts proposed the refurbishment of the dock’s head with a structure made of sheet piles driven into the soft rock, instead of using piles. 

This design enabled the safe reconstruction of the infrastructure, while staying within the budget and meeting the client’s objectives. 

Since the structure was intended to last at least 50 years, the design also included the gradual increase in height of the new approach embankment toward the dock’s head to protect against waves and ice overtopping, due to climate change.

Our approach not only secured the structure but also made it accessible and appealing, allowing people to reclaim this historic access to the river. 

The search for a potential site for the compensation project was carried out in the surrounding area (Côte-de-Beaupré, Île d’Orléans). Ultimately, the relevant authorities (Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife, and Parks) approved the restoration and planting work on a site adjacent to the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré dock. 

Access to the boats had been closed for over 10 years due to structural safety issues with the existing dock. 

The client, having worked hard to secure funding, relied on our engineers to find more cost-effective solutions to meet the budget. 

It can now be stated that the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré dock stands as a remarkable achievement, both in terms of its perfect social integration and the technical challenges it overcame. A key element in the project’s acceptability, the environmental impact was at the forefront of the designers’ concerns, ensuring the preservation of the surrounding ecosystem’s natural features, as well as the landscape and historical character of the area, with a result today that is truly noteworthy.

Completed on schedule and within budget, the new dock is boldly sited and represents a great engineering success, a source of pride for the engineers and professionals at Norda Stelo. 

• The budget and timeline were very limited.
• The work had to be carried out in an area with a significant tidal variation in the Saint Lawrence River.
• It was required to complete in-water work, specifically driving the sheet piles, outside the period from May 15 to November 1 (i.e., in winter) to protect the highly ecologically valuable natural environment.
• Restoration of a portion of the American bulrush marsh.
• The work was carried out on a structure over a century old, with the last refurbishment dating back to 1984.
• Project planning took into account anticipated disruptions due to climate change.

• Environment, Climate Change and Community
• Electricity
• Smart Mobility
• Port and Coastal
• Structure
• Civil works