The government will “probably” help ski resorts pay part of the $65 million needed to renew their snow cannons, Economy and Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon said on Friday.
In a scrum at the entrance of the caucus of CAQ MPs, the minister said that it will first be necessary to assess the risks that weigh on this sector of activity due to climate change.
Mr. Fitzgibbon, who pleads for energy sobriety, however underlined the reduction in consumption that would result from the renewal of equipment ensuring the snow cover of the ski slopes.
“It will help the energy, the snow cannons consume less energy, he said. Do we want to support the industry? Most likely. But at what level, there is a substantive discussion to be had on that. »
In France, this winter, ski resorts were unable to receive skiers due to the lack of snow while others got away with taking inspiration from Scandinavian methods to recycle the accumulations received. The phenomenon is also affecting Canada, where the snow-covered area has been declining by 5 to 10% per decade for the past 40 years.
Mr. Fitzgibbon acknowledged Friday that climate change also poses an additional risk to this sector of activity in Quebec. He also asked questions in December on this subject to find out more before deciding what percentage the State would inject for the purchase of snow cannons.
“100% would be unacceptable,” conceded the minister. It takes risk sharing. »
The Association des stations de ski du Québec estimates the cost of renewing its snow cannons at $65 million, said Mr. Fitzgibbon.
More details will follow.