The Archipel Pass is an initiative implemented by the Municipality of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine. By acquiring the Archipel Pass, all visitors to the Îles de la Madeleine contribute to the establishment of the Sustainable Land Management Fund. This fund will finance the establishment and management of a regional park, waste management, as well as the improvement and maintenance of recreational and tourist infrastructures.
All visitors aged 13 and over must pay a fee of $30 before leaving the archipelago for departures between May 1st and October 14th, of each year.
Note that the launch of the payment platform, initially scheduled for May 1st, is postponed for a few days to make adjustments and ensure a smooth user experience to ensure everything goes well for visitors. The new launch date will be communicated shortly.
The Îles de la Madeleine are a fragile and unique ecosystem. The Archipel Pass helps fund environmental protection and sustainable development projects to preserve the natural beauty of the archipelago. In this regard, the funds raised will contribute to financing the establishment and operation of a regional park and the enforcement of various regulations.
This action is part of the five main directions of the destination's sustainable tourism strategy.
In the Îles de la Madeleine, solid waste management is a challenge due to geographical location. Historically, some of the waste was exported to the mainland. However, efforts are being made to reduce this dependence on exportation and promote local recycling and composting. Selective sorting is encouraged, but due to geographical constraints, some waste is still exported for treatment. Local authorities are working on sustainable solutions to improve waste management.
The cost of waste treatment and exportation occupies a significantly higher portion of the budget compared to other regions in Quebec, accounting for 18% of the municipal budget.
On the archipelago, access to beaches, parks, outdoor sports fields, as well as parking lots, public toilets, etc., is free for users. The municipality must constantly maintain recreational and tourist infrastructures such as hiking trails, bike paths, and others. The Archipel Pass supports the maintenance and improvement of services and facilities offered, ensuring a quality experience.
The Archipel Pass is $30 plus tax per person 13 years of age or older, up to a maximum of $100 plus tax per family.
Given that visitors stay an average of 10 nights in the area, $30 plus tax per person for an Archipel Pass works out to only $3 a day to enjoy everything the islands have to offer : beaches, recreation and tourism sites, parks, outdoor sports fields, trails, and more.
A family is defined as a maximum of 2 adults and up to 5 children, ages 13 to 17 inclusive at the time of validation, usually living at the same address and travelling together on the same flight or ferry.
Proof of age for minors may be requested. As neither ID nor travel date is requested at the time of purchase, the QR code can be transferred to another person (or family). That person (or family) must meet the criteria of the category for which the pass was purchased.
The QR code expires once it has been validated by the verification agent.
The Municipality is legally required to collect sales taxes (GST and QST) on the payment of the Archipel Pass. As with all other taxed products and services in stores or elsewhere, the Municipality sends this money to the provincial and federal governments.
For groups of eight (8) or more people, the "Group" option allows you to receive a single QR code for your payment.
Visitors will pay for their Archipel Pass via a secure payment platform that generates a QR confirmation code, to be verified upon leaving the Islands. We recommend that visitors pay for their Archipel Pass before the end of their stay to avoid having to pay the verification agent as they leave, when they might be short on time.
Visitors will be told about the requirement to pay for a pass by various means during their stay, and even before they arrive. They will receive their QR code via email.
Information on the Archipel Pass and the Sustainable Land Management Fund will be available :
In each case, the information will include a link directing visitors to a site where they can pay for their Archipel Pass in just a few clicks.
Payment can be made any time between booking their trip and when they leave the Islands.
The Fund will be divided as follows :
The municipal council will periodically determine how to use the funds, within the parameters set out in the by-law (regional park, recreation and tourism infrastructures and waste management).
A monitoring committee will ensure that expenditure is aligned with industry and community needs.
No. It's only mandatory for stays ending between May 1 and October 14 inclusive.
The notion of "stays ending" is important. For example, a person staying on the Islands from April 20 to May 1 will have to pay for an Archipel Pass, while a person who books a trip from October 5 to 15 will not.
No. The intention is not to prevent visitors from coming to the archipelago. Quite the opposite, the purpose of the fund is to ensure high-quality recreation and tourism infrastructures. The fund will also help protect the territory and ensure the tourism industry is sustainable for future generations. It's being introduced with a view to the sustainable development of the destination.
Visitors will be required to pay for the Archipel Pass for each stay ending within the specified period. However, they will be able to claim a reimbursement for their second and subsequent stays during the specified period within the same year.
There is a form they will need to fill out.
Boarding passes (plane and/or boat) will constitute proof of stay during the specified period.
Claims for reimbursement must be received by the Municipality of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine no later than November 30 of the year in question.
Whether a person has to pay for the Archipel Pass is based on the concept of residence in the Islands. To be exempt, each person must demonstrate that they are a resident of the territory of the Maritime Community of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine (for example, by showing their driver's licence with a local address).
Visitors spending less than 24 hours in the territory are exempt from payment. As ships usually stay for just a few hours, cruise passengers will not have to pay.
The requirement to pay for the Archipel Pass applies to stays ending between May 1 and October 14, 2024. As visitors have until the end of their stay to pay for the pass, the fact that reservations have already begun has no impact.
We recommend that visitors pay for their Archipel Pass before the end of their stay to avoid having to pay the verification agent as they leave, when they might be short on time.
Visitors who cannot use their QR code due to trip cancellation can fill out the form at any time to claim a reimbursement. Completed claims for reimbursement, including proof the stay was cancelled, must be received by the Municipality of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine no later than November 30 of the same year.
Under its privacy policy (in French), the Municipality of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine will collect only generic information to make sure the platform works as intended and for analysis and marketing purposes. Any additional information will only be collected with the consent of the person making the payment.
The Archipel Pass is required under a municipal by-law. Failure to comply with the by-law is an offence that could lead to a fine and a municipal court hearing.
In the event that the information contained on this website regarding the Archipel Pass differs from the information published on the website of the Municipality of Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, the latter shall prevail.
