Mushroom foraging laws in Quebec
Compiled from official sources; not legal advice. Rules change. Confirm with the land manager or the agency before you pick.
Summary
In Quebec's provincial parks the Parks Regulation names mushrooms among the things you may not remove, but it also allows non-commercial picking of 'edible plant products' outside preservation zones; it does not say whether mushrooms count. On public forest land the Quebec government regulates only maple production and Canada yew among non-timber products, and we found no mushroom-specific rule. Selling usually needs a retail food permit from MAPAQ.
Public land
Provincial parks (Règlement sur les parcs, s. 20): it is prohibited to cut, damage, remove or introduce a tree, shrub, plant or mushroom, but picking edible plant products is allowed for non-commercial purposes except in preservation zones. The regulation does not say whether mushrooms are 'edible plant products', so ask the park. Sépaq says it is prohibited to remove natural elements such as plants from its national parks; each park posts its own activity list. Public forest: the government's forest planning documents list wild mushrooms among non-timber forest products and say only two (maple production and Canada yew) are regulated by the ministry; the Act on sustainable forest management (A-18.1) does not mention mushrooms in its text. Federal lands follow their own rules.
Permits
Public forest: no permit for mushrooms was found, since only maple production and Canada yew harvest are regulated. Parks: no picking permit is described; check with the park director.
Limits
Quebec's health page advises eating no more than 250 grams of wild mushrooms per week. This is health advice, not a picking limit.
Selling
Quebec.ca counts gathering wild plants or mushrooms for human consumption as agricultural production. A retail food permit is needed in most situations to sell agricultural products; the listed exemption covers fresh, whole fruits and vegetables and the page does not say whether mushrooms qualify. Contact MAPAQ to confirm.
Sources
- Légis Québec - Règlement sur les parcs (P-9, r. 25)
- Sépaq - Regulations in Quebec's National Parks
- Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts - Le territoire et ses occupants (PAFIT, Estrie)
- Légis Québec - Loi sur l'aménagement durable du territoire forestier (A-18.1)
- Quebec.ca - Vente de produits agricoles
- Quebec.ca - Champignons sauvages et culture domestique
Last verified: November 11, 2026