Lanaudière Tourism wishes to add its voice to those of the press releases issued today by the Conseil québécois de l’industrie touristique (CQIT), by the Association des motoneigistes du Québec (AdmdQ), and ATR associées du Québec, and to echo the statements they contain.
Regional tourism associations in Quebec are calling on Premier Jean Charest to intervene urgently in the current conflict between the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation and the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA), in order to put an end to the ban on snowmobilers and ATV-ers accessing agricultural lands, so that the winter season for these two sports can get in full swing before the Holidays.
"It would seem necessary that Premier Charest intervene in this file to ensure that those tourism businesses, villages and tourist areas that are affected do not have to suffer as a result of the negotiation tactics of the two parties,” stated Jocelyn Carrier, President of ATR associées du Québec.
Added Évangéline Richard, President of Tourisme Lanaudière: "As Mr. Carrier mentioned, winter has arrived and time is running out, since the snowmobile trails are ready to open in several regions."
Meanwhile, the Conseil québécois de l’industrie touristique ( (CQIT) is also pressing the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) to lift the ban on access to agricultural lands. "We buy a great variety of Quebec agricultural produce, making the tourism industry a very important client for the producers. Given this fact, we cannot understand why the UPA would choose to penalize us in its negotiations with the Government,” said Alain April, President of the Conseil québécois de l’industrie touristique.
In addition, the Association des restaurateurs du Québec has expressed its support for the tourism industry.
As stated by the Association des motoneigistes du Québec, Tourisme Lanaudière is nevertheless aware that those working in the agricultural industry have the right to refuse access to their lands and it recommends that all snowmobilers in the province respect the denial of access to farmland.
