Infrastructure improvements will help extend winter tourism season in Northern New Brunswick
July 28, 2015 – Saint-Quentin, N.B. – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
The New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (NBFSC) will be able to make improvements to the trail infrastructure in Mount Carleton Provincial Park in collaboration with the Town of Saint-Quentin, thanks to investments from the federal and provincial governments.
The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and Member of Parliament for Madawaska-Restigouche, and the Honourable Bill Fraser, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, today joined Her Worship Nicole Somers, Mayor of Saint-Quentin, and Sandy Young, Past President of the NBFSC on behalf of Brad Mann, President, to make the funding announcement.
The project involves trail improvements and infrastructure supporting the establishment of a centralized grooming hub in Mount Carleton Provincial Park. Project elements include: construction of trail bridges and shelters, clearing trails, adding signage, establishing new trail loops, acquiring two new trail groomers and adding a groomer storage shed. The benefits of this project will be felt by many communities along the Northern Odyssey snowmobile routes as the addition of more multiple-day trail loops will increase the number of overnight stays. It is expected that these improvements will also help extend the snowmobile tourism season in the Northern Odyssey Region by four to six weeks resulting in increased revenues and job creation.
The Government of Canada, through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund, is contributing $723,708 towards the project while the Province of New Brunswick is providing funding of $710,000. The Town of Saint-Quentin is contributing an additional $265,000 and the NBFSC is investing $75,000.
Quick Facts:
- With a population of over 2,000, the Town of Saint-Quentin is the Atlantic Maple Capital and a gateway to the Appalachian Mountains, New Brunswick’s highest peak – Mount Carleton – and the Restigouche River.
- NBFSC, incorporated in 1982, is comprised of 51 community-based, volunteer-run, member clubs that maintain a network of snowmobile trails across the province.
- NBFSC sells more than 12,000 permits per year, granting users access to approximately 8,000 kilometers of its maintained snowmobile trails.
- The Northern Odyssey Region, with the highest snowfall in the Maritimes, consists of a network of over a thousand kilometers of trails that wind through Campbellton, Bathurst, Miramichi and Edmundston.
Quotes:
“Our Government is committed to strengthening community infrastructure to help develop prosperous communities and improve the quality of life for Canadian families. That is why we are pleased to support the Town of Saint-Quentin and the New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs through this project that will increase the number of visitors during the winter months, generating economic growth for multiple communities in Northern New Brunswick.
- The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and Member of Parliament for Madawaska-Restigouche
"This strategic infrastructure will grow our tourism sector and advance the sport of snowmobiling in northern New Brunswick," Fraser said. "It will strengthen and enhance the Northern Odyssey snowmobile experience, reinvigorate the snowmobile trail system, and extend the snowmobiling season in this region by several weeks. The centralized grooming hub will also provide a fueling station for snowmobilers and open up 343 kilometers of new trail areas which were previously unreachable."
- The Honourable Bill Fraser, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture
“We are very happy with our partnership with both orders of government and the New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs Inc. that allows us to invest in the development of the regional tourist industry, which will essentially ensure new job opportunities for residents and neighbouring communities. Also this will likely significantly contribute to the economic growth of the regional community.”
- Nicole Somers, Mayor, Town of Saint-Quentin
“The NBFSC is honored, excited and tremendously grateful to everyone who is a contributing partner in this project. The Mount Carleton - Christmas Mountains Grooming Hub announcement is a significant step forward for us, the Town of Saint-Quentin and the communities and cities in the province that support winter tourism.”
- Sandy Young, NBFSC Past President, on behalf of Brad Mann, NBFSC President
Associated Links:
Contacts:
Kelsie Corey
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Rob Moore
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
613-941-7241
Lisa Gautreau
Acting Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
506-471-1565
Jason Hoyt
Communications
Tourism, Heritage and Culture
506-444-5185
Nicole Somers
Mayor
Town of Saint-Quentin
506-235-2425
Brad Mann
President
The New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs
506-790-5940
