Hydro-Canyon Saint-Joachim Hydro Power Plant, Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River

Hydro‑Canyon hydroelectric development on the Sainte‑Anne River is operated by Hydro‑Canyon Saint‑Joachim Inc. which is the result of a partnership between the MRC de la Côte‑de‑Beaupré, the Municipality of Saint‑Joachim and AXOR. The 23.2 MW project was built as part of the Hydro‑Québec PAE‑2009 call for tender and started in February 2017. The project consists essentially of a concrete dam, a spillway, a water intake built into the rock, a tunnel approximately 450 metres long, a power station housing two Double‑Francis turbines, and a tailrace channel to restore water to the river.

Built in the heart of the Saint‑Anne Canyon recreation park in Beaupré, the project has been designed to integrate as much as possible into its natural environment, specifically by installing natural rip rap on the downstream face of the dam, as well as building a plant built into the cliff on the left bank to hide the infrastructure. The development also received the Léonard 2018 prize awarded at the Grands Prix du génie‑conseil québécois, especially for its nailed wall of 4,000 m² with a maximum height of 20 metres, making this retaining wall the more top of the genre in Canada.

A power purchase agreement signed with Hydro‑Québec Distribution is in effect until 2037, renewable for another 20 years.