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One of the first environmental decisions of François Legault's government could be to give snowmobilers access to the Mont-Tremblant National Park, Le Devoir learned. This practice is prohibited under the Parks Act, unless authorized by the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks. The latter could also receive other requests.

In the name of the "economic boom" and support for merchants in the Saint-Donat region, in Lanaudière, three Caquist candidates campaigned to reopen a thirty-kilometer trail named "Caribou". It passes through Mont-Tremblant National Park and was closed to snowmobilers in March 2013.

The Caquist government could, however, review things to allow snowmobilers to access once again the largest and oldest national park in Quebec. Press Secretary Pierre Dufour, Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, said on Friday that a "decision" will be announced shortly. "We should normally go ahead next week" with a decision, said the press secretary of the Minister, Véronique Boulanger.

The Minister could authorize the reopening of such a trail, as this provision is provided for in the Parks Regulations. However, Ms. Boulanger did not want to confirm the exact nature of the Minister's decision on this file. Can we expect a positive decision for people in the region? "We can expect that," she said only.

A decision on this issue is expected by the president of the Club Motoneige Saint-Donat, Jean Michaud, who said Friday that everything seems to indicate that a "positive" decision will intervene quickly. "We are all for the respect of the environment. But we've been in this business for almost 50 years. The CAQ does not want to change the law, but only to recognize our acquired right, "he explained.
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According to Mr. Michaud, the three million dollars of public funds injected to build a bypass and to rehabilitate several other sections located outside the park did not help to retain snowmobilers in the area. "The region is empty," dropped the one who had called to vote for the CAQ in a video posted on Facebook. "People who used to come to the Saint Donat area are now bypassing the area," which would lead to major economic losses.

The case of Mont-Tremblant is not unique in Quebec, since the practice of snowmobiling is no longer allowed in national parks since the year 2000. This decision was taken because of the impacts on the natural environment, the disturbance of wildlife, noise pollution and incompatibility with activities offered in national parks.

Since then, snowmobile trails have been developed outside the boundaries of six national parks in Quebec, including those of Mont-Tremblant, Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie, Monts-Valin, Lake Témiscouata, Pointe-Taillon and Mont-Orford.

Have any other formal requests been made to the government of the Coalition avenir Quà © bec by snowmobile associations wishing to regain access to national parks? "No other project has been proposed," Véronique Boulanger assured. The minister would, however, be ready to hear the grievances of snowmobile enthusiasts, according to Pierre Dufour's press officer. "We are studying all requests, and currently there are no other requests."

Upcoming cases

According to the checks made by Le Devoir, the case of the Mont-Tremblant National Park may not be the only one to land on the desk of the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks.

"If they reopen the Mont-Tremblant park, I'm sure I'll go to the Quebec stretchers," exclaimed Stéphane Bisson, president of the Association of Snowmobilers in the Vallée de la Nation. In 2002, due to the opening of Plaisance National Park, the 10-kilometer snowmobile trail that connected Plaisance to Thurso in the Ottawa Valley was closed, although snowmobilers were tolerated until 2012.
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Our region is now split in two ", according to Stéphane Bisson, which evokes major economic losses for the region. In his opinion, the cases of Mont-Tremblant and Plaisance are highly similar. "They, they bawl well, but we too, it hurts us, in the Outaouais. "

Papineau's Caquist MP, Mathieu Lacombe, engaged in an election campaign to complete the path to Thurso. However, he did not specify whether it would be bypass or access to Plaisance National Park. A bypass project would have been valued at over a million dollars in 2015, said Bisson Friday. "The government should keep its millions for hospitals and the real needs we have in Quebec when we already have a trail available [in the park] that would cost nothing. "

For the moment, the Quebec Federation of Snowmobile Clubs remains out of the debate. "We do not have a favorable or unfavorable position," explains spokesperson Marilou Perreault. We are waiting to be informed. Perreault reminds us that the recreational and tourism activities related to the snowmobile industry represent an annual economic spinoff of approximately $ 1.9 billion in Quebec.

Environmental groups that had campaigned to ban snowmobiles in national parks are strongly opposed to reopening trails. "This is a major setback in terms of protecting the integrity of national parks," said Nature Quebec's general manager, Christian Simard.

An opinion shared by biologist Alain Branchaud, which highlights the "precedent" that the government may create by opening the door to snowmobiles in the Mont-Tremblant park. "This is already a national park under heavy pressure, because of the ski resort. And more generally, it is an example of the great difficulty we have in respecting the ecological integrity of our protected areas. "

Quebec is behind in the protection of its terrestrial natural territory. The target for 2020 has been set at 17%, while the rate is currently 10.3%.
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Yes the actual new governement just elected in october had in their election promise to reopen a trail in Mont-tremblant park, the Caribou trail  that link the south east of St-Donat to the 33 trail near the Rouge Mattawin relay. A newspaper, Le Devoir, had today wrongly announced that it was already done but later retracted and modify the news telling that the govermenet should announce their decision next week...

St-Donat area people have big hopes with this promise but a part of the public opinion is against this reopening... personnaly i'm surprise that the goverment would state on or realize this promise so soon after their election but we will see... maybe next week...hoping it will be true

Alain

Edited by towing
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