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Practical info

911, the nearest clinic, the écocentre, the Fassett ferry. The stuff you only look up the day you need it.

EmergenciesHealth careRoads and ferriesGarbage and recyclingInternet and cell serviceGetting around without a carMoving here
Rue Principale in Montpellier with houses and a white church in the distance
Rue Principale in Montpellier with houses and a white church in the distance · Photo: Fralambert, CC BY-SA 4.0
Montebello's main street with houses and parked cars
Photo: Veillg1, CC BY-SA 4.0

Emergencies

  • 911: Fire, crash, someone not breathing: 911 works everywhere in the MRC. Don't waste time hunting for another number. Link
  • Info-Santé 811, option 1: A nurse on the phone 24/7 to tell you if it can wait till morning or if you should get in the car now. There's a priority line for parents of kids up to 17. Link
  • Info-Social 811, option 2: Same number, different option: a psychosocial worker for distress, a crisis, or someone close who's struggling. Free and confidential. Link
  • Québec Poison Control Centre: 1 800 463-5060, open around the clock, 365 days a year, and fully bilingual. Kid got into the cleaning products? Call first. Link
  • Sûreté du Québec, MRC de Papineau station: For non-emergencies: 819 427-6269, Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 4:30. The station is at 380 rue Papineau in Papineauville. This is provincial police territory, not OPP. Link
  • SOPFEU, forest fires: Smoke in the trees? 1-800-463-FEUX (3389), or report online. 911 works too. Link
  • Hydro-Québec outages: Report an outage or downed equipment at 1 800 790-2424, any hour. The Info-pannes map shows where the power's out and when it should be back. A live wire on the road is a 911 call. Link
Chénéville's main street with shops, cars and the church steeple
Photo: P199, CC BY-SA 3.0

Health care

  • Papineau Hospital: The hospital serving the MRC isn't in the MRC. It's in Buckingham, part of Gatineau. The MRC itself points out it's the only territory in the Outaouais without a hospital, so budget the drive. Link
  • Petite-Nation CLSC (Saint-André-Avellin): 14 rue Saint-André, 819 983-7341. Weekdays 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed 11:30 to 1:15. Walk-in blood tests early morning, vaccines, wound care, and an emergency service on site. Bring your Québec health card. Link
  • Val-des-Bois CLSC: 601 route 309, 819 454-2355. If you're up north on the Lièvre side, it's likely the closer one. Link
  • Northern Petite-Nation health co-op: In Chénéville, 819 508-2070. The MRC lists it among the area's health services. Link
  • Finding a family doctor (GAMF): Get on the Guichet d'accès à un médecin de famille waiting list with your Québec health card, then keep your info up to date so you hold your spot. You need a valid Québec health card for this one. Link
  • No doctor yet? Try the GAP: Meanwhile, the Guichet d'accès à la première ligne (811 option 3, or online) can book you an appointment or point you to the right service. Link
  • Pharmacists can do more here: Québec pharmacists can extend a prescription or prescribe for some minor conditions, and the province made several of those services free. Can save you a trip to Buckingham. Link
Route 148 bridge and steel railway bridge over the Petite Nation River
Photo: Veillg1, CC BY-SA 4.0

Roads and ferries

  • Québec 511: Road conditions, construction, closures. Check it before a winter drive up north. Link
  • Highway 50: The main Québec-side link between Gatineau and the Montréal area. It runs parallel to the Ottawa River, set back from the 148. Link
  • Route 148: The old river road through Thurso, Plaisance, Papineauville, Montebello and Fassett. Slower than the 50, but that's where the villages are. Link
  • Heading north: The 317 runs from Thurso up to Ripon. The 321 goes from Papineauville to Duhamel. The 323 starts in Montebello and ends in Mont-Tremblant. The 309 follows the Lièvre toward Val-des-Bois, and the 315 links Masson-Angers to Namur, with a gravel stretch in the middle. Link
  • Winter tires: Mandatory December 1 to March 15 on Québec-plated vehicles, with a $200 to $300 fine. Ontario plates are exempt, but the hills don't know that. Link
  • Thurso–Clarence ferry (Ecolos): An electric cable ferry from Thurso to Clarence Island on the Ontario side. Weekdays 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., weekends 6 to 10. $9 a car, free on foot. Check it's running before you count on it. Link
  • Fassett–Lefaivre ferry: The MRC's citizen guide says a ferry links Fassett to Lefaivre, Ontario. We couldn't find an official schedule online, so call the municipality of Fassett first. Link
Rue Principale in Papineauville in autumn, older buildings and a golden tree
Photo: P199, CC BY-SA 3.0

Garbage and recycling

  • Who does what: The MRC holds the waste-management mandate and a 2023-2030 regional plan. But pickup days, calendars and écocentres are run by your own municipality. Link
  • Écocentres (drop-off depots): There's no big regional depot. Each municipality runs its own écocentre or drop-off point, often residents only, with proof of address, and hours shift with the seasons. Link
  • Duhamel: Collection calendar, plus pages on bulky items, composting and the town's own écocentre. Link
  • Fassett: Garbage, recycling and the écocentre's summer and winter hours. Link
  • Lac-Simon: Two routes (East and West), two calendars. Check which one is yours before the bin goes out. Link
  • Canton de Lochaber: The écocentre on Montée du Gore. The regional waste plan says it also serves Lochaber-Partie-Ouest and Mayo. Link
  • Mayo: What's banned from the bins (batteries, fluorescent tubes and so on) and where to take it instead. Link
  • Montebello: The 2026 calendar as a PDF, collection days and council meetings on one sheet. Link
  • Mulgrave-et-Derry: Collection calendar and the date for bulky-item pickup. Link
  • Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix: The 2026 pickup calendar sits at the top of the Environment page. Link
  • Papineauville: Recycling, bulky items and the municipal écocentre, each with its own page. Link
  • Plaisance: Collection calendar and a compost cheat sheet. Link
  • Ripon: 2026 calendar, a map of collection zones, then separate sections for garbage, recycling, organics and the écocentre. Link
  • Saint-Sixte: Collection calendar and sorting guide. The écocentre has its own page on the site. Link
  • Thurso: Garbage goes out Thursdays every other week, alternating with recycling. 2026 calendar on the page. Link
  • Val-des-Bois: The waste calendar, posted by public works. Link
The village of Lac-des-Plages on the lakeshore, with coloured trees and mountains
Photo: P199, CC BY-SA 3.0

Internet and cell service

  • Operation High Speed: Ottawa and Québec funded connections across the MRC, from Boileau to Val-des-Bois, with a September 2022 target. If you're still stuck on slow service, it's worth checking what's now offered at your address. Link
  • National broadband map: ISED's map shows, hexagon by hexagon, which providers offer what speeds, for home internet and mobile. Look before you buy a cottage. Link
  • Cell coverage, honestly: The MRC says it plainly: several areas still have no cell service. Out in the bush, don't count on your phone to call for help. Tell someone where you're going. Link
Wooded hill above the houses of Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, snowy fields
Photo: P199, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting around without a car

  • No city bus: The MRC admits there's no public transit across more than 3,300 km². You'll want a car. Link
  • TAC Papineau shared rides: Open to anyone living in the 25 municipalities, run mostly by volunteer drivers and spare seats on the adapted buses. Register, then book 48 hours ahead at 819 308-0788, ext. 0. Runs 7 days, 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Link
  • TAC Papineau paratransit: For people with reduced mobility. Same organization, same number. Heads up: the old ctacpapineau.com domain isn't theirs anymore. Use tacpapineau.ca. Link
  • Train: No VIA Rail station on our side. The corridor stops are across the river, including Ottawa and Casselman. Casselman is a small station that opens 60 minutes before departure, with a few free parking spots. Link
  • Flying: For scheduled flights, it's Ottawa International (YOW). Link
Village street in Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix with an old garage and houses
Photo: P199, CC BY-SA 3.0

Moving here

  • Passeport d'accueil Papinois: Moved into the MRC from elsewhere in the past year? The MRC hands out a welcome passport with discounts and discovery activities at local businesses. One per address, picked up at your town hall, the MRC or the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi. Link
  • The MRC citizen guide: About a hundred pages in French: all 25 municipalities, schools, daycares, health services, police. Worth downloading. Link
  • Change your address once: Québec's address-change service updates seven departments in one go, including RAMQ, SAAQ and Revenu Québec. Link
  • Ontario driver's licence: Once you settle in Québec, your out-of-province licence is good for six consecutive months. After that you swap it at the SAAQ, by appointment. Link
  • Health card (RAMQ): Moving your main home from Ontario? Register with the RAMQ once you're here. Eligibility rules and timing are on their site, and they matter, so read them early. Link
  • French schools: The Centre de services scolaire au Cœur-des-Vallées runs the French-language schools here. Registration and a find-your-school tool are on their site. Link
  • English schools: The Western Québec School Board offers English instruction and French immersion. Eligibility for English schooling gets checked when you register. Link
  • Libraries: A lot of the small municipal libraries belong to the Réseau BIBLIO de l'Outaouais. Your card gets you e-books too. Link
  • Burning brush: Call your municipality before you light a brush pile. Many require a permit, Ripon for one. And check SOPFEU's fire danger rating, bans can drop any time in summer. Link
  • Septic systems: Outside the villages, it's a septic tank and leaching field. Several municipalities run pump-out or inspection programs, Lac-Simon for example. Ask before you renovate or add a bedroom. Link
  • Well water: Your well, your responsibility. Québec recommends a certified lab test for bacteria at least twice a year. Link
  • Welcome tax and property tax: After you buy, the municipality bills you the land transfer duties, known here as the welcome tax. Ripon's site lays it out alongside assessment and property tax. Link
  • Town newcomer pages: A few municipalities have a page just for new arrivals, like Papineauville, Lac-Simon and Duhamel. Start there. Link
Avenue Bourgogne in Old Chambly, with shops and old housesIllustration

Service

Studio Cabotine

Saint-André-Avellin

Natalie Périard's salon: hair, lashes, brows and permanent makeup under one roof. Book by phone.

Rue Clarendon in the centre of the village of Quyon, in the PontiacIllustration

Service

Ramonage Royal

Ripon

Chimney sweeping and inspection, wood stove and fireplace sales and installation, gutter cleaning.

Rue Clarendon in the centre of the village of Quyon, in the PontiacIllustration

Service

Épursol

Chénéville

Septic tank pumping and water treatment. Essential when you own a cottage.

Rue Clarendon in the centre of the village of Quyon, in the PontiacIllustration

Service

Agnès Création

Saint-Émile-de-Suffolk

Video and audio production by Yves Whissell and Elaine Juteau, for cultural and institutional projects.

Saint-Malachie municipal library, a 1917 wooden building with a verandaIllustration

Library

Montebello Public Library

Montebello

Books, a board-game library, passes for regional attractions and an art hive stocked with free supplies. Part of the Réseau BIBLIO de l'Outaouais.

Saint-Malachie municipal library, a 1917 wooden building with a verandaIllustration

Library

Thurso Public Library

Thurso

Story time for kids 0 to 5, a book club, free Internet stations, and two little free libraries in town. Free card for Thurso and…

Saint-Malachie municipal library, a 1917 wooden building with a verandaIllustration

Library

Val-des-Bois–Bowman Library

Val-des-Bois

The library Val-des-Bois shares with Bowman lends passes to the big Ottawa-Gatineau museums and for cross-country skiing in Gatineau Park. Handy…

Acton Vale municipal library in a turreted brick building in early springIllustration

Library

Ripon Public Library

Ripon

A small village library in the Réseau BIBLIO network, with interlibrary loans. Open Mondays, Thursdays and one Saturday a month.

Outdoor ice rink surrounded by snow, seen from above, in Sainte-Pétronille, QuebecIllustration

Arena & sports

Patinoire de Montebello

Montebello

An outdoor rink with a roof over it, built thanks to a big community fundraising push. Even in freezing rain, you can skate.

Rue Clarendon in the centre of the village of Quyon, in the PontiacIllustration

Service

MRC de Papineau

Papineauville

The regional county office in Papineauville. Property assessment, land-use planning, business funding programs and anything that covers all 25…

CLSC building in Matane, QuebecIllustration

Health

Hôpital de Papineau

Hors MRC

The closest hospital for most of La Petite-Nation, but it's in Buckingham, not inside the MRC. On Sundays and holidays, routine CLSC care moves here.

Outdoor ice rink surrounded by snow, seen from above, in Sainte-Pétronille, QuebecIllustration

Arena & sports

Aréna Guy-Lafleur

Thurso

The first covered arena in the Outaouais, built in 1948, where Guy Lafleur learned to skate. Free public skating, minor hockey and figure skating.

Main street of a small Ontario town lined with brick storefrontsIllustration

Service

Dépôt de Boileau

Boileau

Drop-off point at Boileau's town hall. Free except for construction materials. Check current hours with the municipality.

Main street of a small Ontario town lined with brick storefrontsIllustration

Service

Écocentre de Duhamel

Duhamel

Free for residents, open May to October according to the regional plan. Official drop-off for some take-back products. Check current hours with the…

Avenue Bourgogne in Old Chambly, with shops and old housesIllustration

Service

Écocentre de Lac-des-Plages

Lac-des-Plages

Next to the town hall. Mostly open on weekends from April to November, and one Saturday a month in winter. Check current hours with the municipality.

Avenue Bourgogne in Old Chambly, with shops and old housesIllustration

Service

Écocentre de Lac-Simon

Lac-Simon

Serves Lac-Simon and Chénéville. The regional plan lists it as open Thursday to Monday in season. Check current hours with the municipality.

Main street of a small Ontario town lined with brick storefrontsIllustration

Service

Écocentre de Papineauville

Papineauville

Open year-round, with longer hours May to September. Fees apply for construction debris and bulky furniture. Check current hours with the…

Rue Clarendon in the centre of the village of Quyon, in the PontiacIllustration

Service

Écocentre de Ripon

Ripon

Open Wednesdays and Saturdays in season. The first 1.5 cubic metres are free each day. Check current hours with the municipality.

Main street of a small Ontario town lined with brick storefrontsIllustration

Service

Thurso-Rockland Ferry

Thurso

Cable ferry linking Thurso to Clarence-Rockland, Ontario. The Quebec landing is at the foot of rue Galipeau, near Plaisance national park. It went…

Rue Clarendon in the centre of the village of Quyon, in the PontiacIllustration

Service

Fassett-Lefaivre Ferry

Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours

Private toll ferry between Fassett and Lefaivre, Ontario. In winter, a marked ice bridge takes over once the river freezes solid.