An assistant coach for a Lévis M15 B hockey team was stripped of his bench duties just one hour after launching an online petition demanding the resignation of Hockey Lévis general manager André Lévesque.
The swift ouster follows explosive allegations published by Radio-Canada that local minor hockey organizations hired private investigators to conduct surveillance on families over residency disputes. Manuel Charron-Paris, whose son plays for the Commandeurs de Pointe-Lévy M15 B squad, set up the Change.org petition after learning that association funds were allegedly used to track children aged 8 and 10 whose parents sought to register them with a rival organization across the river, Sports-Loisirs Québec Nord-Est (SLQNE).
The Petition and the Swift Removal from the Bench
Within sixty minutes of publishing the petition on Tuesday, M. Charron-Paris received word from his team’s head coach that Hockey Lévis had rescinded his privileges as an assistant coach. The petition gathered nearly 200 signatures by Wednesday afternoon.
In the text of the petition, M. Charron-Paris wrote that the document expressed concerns shared by numerous parents, coaches, and young players who had witnessed the fallout from poor management. Speaking to the media, he condemned the use of funds to follow young children, calling it inconceivable. He added that while investigations take time, nobody dares speak out inside the association, describing the local atmosphere as a “reign of terror.” He subsequently lodged an official complaint with Hockey Québec.
Many parents agree with the sentiment but refuse to sign out of fear of retaliation, according to M. Charron-Paris, who noted that such intimidation is common in Lévis. Contacted by the press, Hockey Lévis general manager André Lévesque declined an interview request.
Denials from Hockey Lévis and the Response from Québec Officials
Hockey Lévis addressed its members in a letter sent to parents on Wednesday, flatly denying that the association hired or paid for a private investigator. The organization insisted that members maintain respect and restraint in public communications. M. Lévesque later remarked that individuals are free to wish for his departure, maintaining that his focus remains on organizing hockey.
Meanwhile, Jean-René Lavigueur, administrator and vice-president of SLQNE as well as president of the As de Québec, shed light on the territorial dispute that triggered the controversy. M. Lavigueur confirmed that his organization carried out validation checks regarding a family’s territorial transfer request under rule 5.2 of Hockey Québec, which mandates that children play within their home recruitment territory. He stated that SLQNE had previously granted a one-year exception on the promise of a permanent move, but accused the parents of lying when the relocation never materialized.
M. Lavigueur defended Lévis against mounting public criticism, asserting that the neighboring association bore no responsibility for SLQNE’s decision to reject the registration after examining the lease and municipal evaluation roles of a rented condo in Québec City.
Surveillance Claims and Disputed Enforcement Methods
The controversy stems from an investigative report by Radio-Canada detailing how parents in April witnessed an unknown adult sitting in a parked car and photographing their children in Lévis. The parents initially feared a predator before realizing the surveillance was tied to a residency challenge over their eight-year-old daughter and ten-year-old son.
While Radio-Canada reported that private detectives have been deployed by multiple minor hockey organizations across the province to monitor contested addresses, local officials have drawn fine distinctions regarding their methods. While SLQNE admitted to mandating individuals to verify information, M. Lavigueur insisted during an interview on FM93 that his group never specifically commissioned a private investigation agency or ordered stakeouts involving photography.
As the administrative dispute continued through legal channels, Superior Court Justice Suzanne Ouellet noted in prior proceedings that the parents had complied with Hockey Québec regulations by submitting documentation for their address change. On January 27, 2026, M. Lévesque had contacted the family’s legal counsel, Me Vincent Dubuc-Cusick, to inform them that the children would not be permitted to play in Québec for the 2026–2027 season.
M. Charron-Paris faces his own disciplinary hurdles under Hockey Québec administrative rules. He lost his bench credentials due to an alleged breach of clause 2G of regulation 10.4, which governs the coach’s code of ethics.
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