The municipality of Îles-de-la-Madeleine is taking “a step aside” and will not require visitors to pay the $30 Archipel Pass.
The City says it will not back down in its desire for a “notion of contribution” from some 60,000 visitors to maintaining the archipelago’s infrastructure and its future.
However, payment of the amount of $30 will be optional, at least for this season, through the Passe Archipel transactional application.
The municipality cited negotiations on Tuesday still underway with Transport Canada on the operational level.
Presented at the beginning of April, the draft regulations provide for the creation of the Sustainable Territorial Management Fund and the establishment of a mandatory fee for non-resident visitors from 1er May to October 14 each year.
“Let’s be clear: we are not backing down on the notion of contribution. […] But as we are pioneers in this area, it is normal to adjust in this first year,” said Mayor Antonin Valiquette at a press briefing and in a press release on Tuesday.
“Like a pilot project, we are continuing discussions with Transport Canada, we continue to inform Madelinots on the issue and we will observe the behavior of our visitors during the season to improve the project,” added Mr. Valiquette.
Evoking “positive messages flowing into town hall”, the municipality also deplores “inappropriate, sometimes hateful comments, as well as unverified information which has diverted the debate and degraded the social climate of the archipelago” .
“The disrespectful comments that council members, the municipal team and I have experienced in recent weeks are unacceptable and will continue to be denounced as they should,” the mayor said.
The municipality is maintaining the information evening for its citizens scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, the regular council meeting will deal with “other municipal subjects of interest,” it was indicated.