Ex-champion Alex Harvey and businessman Mario Bedard, of the Avenir-Mont-Sainte-Anne alliance, met last Friday with ministers Genevieve Gilbolt and Pierre Fitzgibbon to discuss the survival of the Beaupre ski resort.
• Read also: Mont-Sainte-Anne: Alex Harvey and Mario Bedard to move government
Without giving too many details about the discussions between the parties, Mario Bedard believes that the Quebec government should be proactive by the end of February. Also attending the meeting was M. Emily Foster, elected to Charlevoix-Cote-de-Beaubre.
“I felt like there was something on the table. Mr. Fitzgibbon is a great skater and he understands things very well. They have had meetings with the focal point and they have scenarios under consideration. On February 15th they will have completed their analysis and will know where to go. They are,” Mr Bedard explained: Not wind.”
positive signs
The contract with the owner RCR, as well as the potential investment with or without a partner, will be at the heart of the thought.
Pierre Fitzgibbon is Minister of Economy and Innovation responsible for regional economic development. Deputy Prime Minister Genevieve Gilbolt, for her part, is in charge of Capital National.
The Quebec government should then announce its decision to the new coalition of citizens concerned about the future of the mountain. “It’s moving. I clearly understood that it was genuinely working. I found this to be a positive even though I knew that the regulars at the station had a very diluted confidence in the RCR,” adds Mr. Bedard.
For his part, skater Alex Harvey said he was reassured by the government’s position. I have the impression that the file is taken very seriously. It has been constructive and I feel that the status quo is unacceptable to them. They moved forward on short-term dates. It’s not a tablet folder that collects dust.”
Minister Fitzgibbon was not too chatty, he simply spoke of an informal meeting. “We were listening,” he said via email.
big packing
As of January 17, more than 11,000 people had signed a petition in favor of the modernization of Mont-Sainte-Anne.
Once again this week, ski lifts have had failures and customers decry it every time. As if that wasn’t enough, Hydro-Quebec has issued a power cut call due to high electricity demand. So activities are disrupted early in the day.
Since December, the Avenir-Mont-Sainte-Anne alliance has brought together political leaders, businessmen, representatives of the tourist community and sportsmen to prevent this “natural gem, victim of chronic underinvestment” from further deteriorating.
According to the group, the mountain had reached a critical threshold and the situation could not continue.