'Old-fashioned winter' good news for Lower North Shore — at least for this year

The winter may be bitterly cold and snowy, but that's what has boosted the spirits of people living on Quebec's Lower North Shore, by allowing their far-flung villages to be connected via an uninterrupted snowmobile highway for the first time in two years.

The full stretch of the Route Blanche — a winter trail that stretches 460 kilometres from Natashquan, 1,005 kilometres north of Quebec City, to Blanc-Sablon, at the province's eastern tip —  opened on Feb. 15.

"It's the only time of the year that we have a physical link between all our communities on the Lower North Shore, so it's a very important time for us as coasters," said Darlene Rowsell-Roberts, who lives in Chevery and is the administrator of the Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent municipality.

Without the snowmobile highway, 11 communities are only accessible by air or sea — making winter the easiest time to get there, in normal times.

"We have a very small window when the trail opens every year, to try to get back to normal and get some things on the go," said Rowsell-Roberts.

Last year, mild temperatures and a lack of snow meant only certain sections could be open, and snowmobile tours were off the table due to public health measures.

So this season's chilly temperatures and abundant snow have been a welcome change, as dozens of snowmobilers have been exploring the region every week, staying at inns along the trail network, gassing up and frequenting local shops and restaurants.

"It's been great," said Rowsell-Roberts.

Garland Nadeau echoes that. An independent tourism developer and guide in St. Paul's River, near Bonne-Espérance, Nadeau is relishing what he calls "an old-fashioned winter."

"Tonnes of snow, lots of cold: I don't think we've seen a winter like this probably in about 15 or 20 years," he said. "It just makes me feel alive again."

Nadeau says it's been heartening to get back to guiding tours and welcoming visitors who have made the trek, in some cases all the way from Montreal and Quebec City. Still, he says, it will take some time for the region to recover economically and try to recoup the tourism revenue lost during the pandemic.

He's already preparing for summer by tidying up the local museum, and he hopes tourists are already thinking about booking passage on the Bella-Desgagnés — the ferry that sails from Rimouski to 11 ports of call on the North Shore.

What about next year?

Grateful as she is for this year's harsh winter, Rowsell-Roberts worries about the impact climate change is having on the Lower North Shore communities.

"We need to be better prepared," she said. "We can't just wait to have a winter like we did last winter when the people of Harrington [Harbour] could only get off by helicopter."

The only road accessible to regular vehicles, Quebec's Highway 138, ends in Kegaska. Then there is a 375-kilometre stretch between Kegaska and Vieux-Fort where there is no road at all. The highway picks up again in Bonne-Espérance, ending at Blanc-Sablon.

In December 2020, Quebec and Canada signed a deal to extend the highway from the Kegaska to La Romaine and build a separate section connecting Tête-à-la-Baleine to Tabatière, at an estimated total cost of $700 million.

Last year, Quebec reached agreements with the Innu communities of Unamen Shipu, Natashquan and Pakua Shipi which are along the route.

The first phase of construction was contracted out to Unamen Shipu and began in August 2021, but rugged terrain, variable soil and the logistical challenges of shipping or flying in materials have made for slow progress. The first 11-kilometre stretch is only expected to be completed in 2024.

Rowsell-Roberts says the highway project needs to be speeded up, and she wants officials for the province and the region to have "serious talks" with Lower North Shore residents about the impacts of climate change.

"It's so unpredictable now. We never know what to expect with the weather," she said. "We have to look at other options."

"It's even more urgent for us to have that physical link in terms of accessibility and essential services."

Jonatan Julien, the minister responsible for the North Shore, did not respond to CBC's requests for comment on how the government plans to address the slow pace of the Highway 138 construction project and other ways to promote access to the region.