The Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) has ordered the closure of four ski lifts at Mont-Sainte-Anne for safety reasons. This decision was made public on Friday evening and follows an urgent situation identified by the RBQ due to serious safety violations.
Closure of Mont-Sainte-Anne Ski Lifts
The affected ski lifts are:
- L’Express du Nord
- L’Express du Sud
- L’Étoile filante
- La Panorama Express
This closure results from inspections held on December 10, following a significant electrical failure in the 25,000-volt high-voltage network. This network powers various facilities at the resort, including the ski lifts and snowmaking systems.
Safety Violations and Findings
The inspection revealed that a breakdown in an underground section of the electrical network hindered the safe operation of the lifts, posing a danger to guests. Additionally, the RBQ noted that this isn’t the first instance of safety issues at the resort. The RBQ emphasized the urgency of their intervention to prevent irreparable harm to the public.
Since December 5, the RBQ had informed the resort operators via email to cease using the affected lifts. However, this critical information had not been communicated to the resort’s subscribers.
Conditions for Reopening
The RBQ indicated that the lifts will only reopen once the operators, RCR, can prove they meet the necessary requirements. As of now, there is no specific timeline for when the lifts may be operational again.
“The resumption of activities will depend on how quickly Mont-Sainte-Anne complies with the imposed conditions,” stated Stéphane Petit, vice president of inspections at the RBQ.
Recent Electrical Issues
The RBQ has been aware of ongoing electrical problems at the site for a decade. This recent breakdown has drawn parallels to past issues, specifically the abrupt shutdowns experienced during the winter of 2020.
Furthermore, communication deficiencies regarding the condition of the Express du Nord lift were also identified in the recent inspection.
Continued Monitoring
The management at RCR had previously attempted to keep subscribers informed about the situation. Nevertheless, there have been no updates since Tuesday, despite expectations to reopen on December 13.
Jean-François Simard, the Minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale, expressed continued faith in RCR’s management of the ski resort amid these challenges.
For further updates, visitors are advised to follow announcements from El-Balad as the situation develops.
