Skiing in Quebec is the best in Canada after the majestic Rockie mountain runs in western Canada.
“snow conditions are really the best of the season”
And this season, according to the Quebec Ski Area Association, has been a good one.
Skiers and snowboarders were enjoying the runs at Mount Gleason in Tingwick, Quebec over a March break week. (Claude Rivest/CBC)
Now, in the middle of March, the month when most elementary and secondary schools take one week breaks, the hills are busy and conditions are great.
Yves Juneau, CEO of the Quebec Ski Area Association, told CBC News, that this season will be better than last year with wintry weather continuing to provide for ski and snowboarding enthusiasts.
“We think it’s going to be a good season overall,” he said. “There are a lot of skiers on the slopes across the province.”
He said that while the Christmas start to the season was not so great, the spring break skiers account for 25 per cent of the business at local ski hills and that the separate Quebec and Ontario school breaks make for a key two-week period.
“At the end of the day, that’s a really significant period for us and thankfully the snow conditions are really the best of the season.”
At Mount Gleason in Tingwick, Quebed, Kim Savoie, director of services, told CBC that the good winter weather attracted a lot of visitors from outside the area.
“The spring break was very good,” she said,
And she said, when there’s snow on the ground, people are much more inspired to buy season passes for the next year.
“When there is snow, there are people buying passes.”
It’s all welcome news for an industry that’s been struggling with milder temperatures over the last few winters.
In the Eastern Townships, southeast of Montreal, Mont Sutton invested $500,000 in snow-making equipment in 2016.
In the Laurentians, north of Montreal, Saint Sauveur installed more than 60 new snow machines this year and was able to open in November due to some cold temperatures at the time.
(With files from Claud Rivest and CBC)
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