A Unique Event in the World
Quebec City, August 11, 2026 — It is with great pleasure that we share today the content of an article published in La Presse, written by Katherine Harvey-Pinard on the occasion of the 12th edition of the Desgagnés Kayak Challenge.
On Thursday, at around 8:00 a.m., approximately 200 kayakers will begin a four-day journey down the St. Lawrence River. The group will paddle from Montréal to Québec City as part of the Desgagnés Kayak Challenge. It is an “exceptional” 250-kilometre human adventure, but above all, an extraordinary fundraising effort for Jeunes musiciens du monde (Young Musicians of the World).
This will mark the 12th edition of the Desgagnés Kayak Challenge, organized by Jeunes musiciens du monde. Over the years, no less than $3 million has been raised to enable the organization to continue its mission.
That mission is to “provide socially oriented music programs to 1,600 young people across nine regions of Québec,” explains Mathieu Fortier, President and Founder of the organization.
“We work in communities where young people face significant risk factors, where socioeconomic disadvantage is high, and where social challenges are concentrated. We support young people in developing their motivation. We help them believe in themselves, build their dreams, and dare to dream bigger and farther.”
This year, the fundraising goal is $500,000. As tradition dictates, each participant conducts their own fundraising campaign.
And who are these participants? The answer: managers, professionals, students, retirees, and simply outdoor enthusiasts. In other words, it could be you.
An interesting fact: 70% of participants are not regular kayakers. In fact, the only requirements are to remain physically active in the months leading up to the event and to complete a one-day Level 1 sea kayaking course to learn basic paddling techniques and how the kayak operates.
On the river, the group is supervised by expert kayakers and motorized support boats that accompany them from start to finish.
“We travel through the most efficient sections of the river in order to take full advantage of the current provided by the waterway,” notes Mr. Fortier.
The adventure is entirely turnkey. Meals are included, and participants stay together in large camps equipped with tents, tables, showers, restrooms, and kitchens set up in waterfront parks in Sorel-Tracy, Trois-Rivières, and Portneuf. As for luggage, it is transported daily from one site to the next by buses that follow the group along the route.
“A Collective Achievement”
Mathieu Fortier insists that the Desgagnés Kayak Challenge, “a unique event in the world,” is not a competition.
“It is an event built on kindness and mutual support. That means everyone is there to help everyone else. I like to say that it is a collective achievement. We leave together, and we arrive together.”
Mathieu Fortier, President and Founder of Jeunes musiciens du monde
Participants who wish to do so may take a break and place their kayak on one of the trailers towed by a bus.
“Some people choose to paddle only half-days. Everyone completes the challenge in their own way.”
The Québec City resident has taken part in every edition of the event and will therefore be making his 12th descent of the St. Lawrence River. He speaks enthusiastically about the benefits of the experience on a human level, but also about the “very intimate” connection that develops between kayakers and the river.
He beautifully describes the St. Lawrence River as “the lifeline of Québec society.”
“You never see it the same way again once you have travelled it in this way.”
The Pillars of Motivation
Beyond the athletic challenge itself, everyone paddles for the same cause: enabling Jeunes musiciens du monde to provide welcoming environments where young people can learn music free of charge.
These are places where they develop “a sense of belonging, autonomy, and competence, which, according to our approach, are the pillars of motivation,” says Mathieu Fortier.
Speaking by phone, the President shared the story of a young girl who joined the organization at the age of eight. At the time, she was living with her family in subsidized housing in Québec City’s Lower Town.
“She decided to enroll in a music-focused program in high school. Then, when she turned sixteen, her mother came to meet with our social worker in Québec City to say that her daughter wanted to attend college. It unsettled her because no one in her family had ever gone to college.”
Today, that same young woman holds a Master’s degree in Music, teaches music at the high school level, and regularly collaborates with the Québec Symphony Orchestra.
Her story is just one example among many throughout the province.
Read the full article here:
Desgagnés Kayak Challenge | “A Unique Event in the World”