Quebec's building board (RBQ) has authorized the reopening of four chair lifts at the Mont-Sainte-Anne ski resort, but the L'Étoile filante gondolas will remain inaccessible until further notice.
In a Saturday press release, the RBQ announced the partial removal of the order issued on Dec. 16, which forced the closure of five lifts after a gondola at L'Étoile filante fell a week earlier.
"The RBQ's priority remains public safety. The Mont-Sainte-Anne resort has provided us with all the evidence and requirements to partially lift the order concerning four aerial lifts. The reopening of L'Étoile filante will depend on the pace at which the operator fulfills the requirements of the order," said Michel Beaudoin, president and general director of the RBQ, in the release.
The ski resort, located near Beaupré, will be able to resume operations on the trails where the L'Express du Sud, L'Express du Nord, La Panorama Express and La Tortue lifts are used.
In a Facebook post, the ski resort confirmed the reopening of the trails on Sunday at 8:30 am, made possible "thanks to the authorizations and approvals of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec received on January 7, 2023." Twenty-six day trails will be accessible when the mountain opens.
"We hope that all of the work that has been done, as well as the external reports on the safety of our facilities, will alleviate the concerns of our visitors. We have fully investigated the causes of the December 10 incident with all the seriousness that the situation demands," said Maxime Cretin, general manager and eastern region vice-president of Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, in a press release sent Saturday afternoon.
On Dec. 10, a malfunction in the attachment of a cabin of L'Étoile filante occurred while the gondola was operating. According to information from the RBQ, the checks carried out beforehand did not meet the safety requirements or the manufacturer's instructions.
In its Dec. 16 order, the RBQ required the resort operator, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, to provide the necessary documentation to prove the safety of the aerial lift equipment.
"I would like to thank the RBQ teams who have worked tirelessly since December 10 to ensure that the installations are compliant and safe for users and workers. The health and safety of everyone is our priority," said Labour Minister Jean Boulet in a press release.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Jan. 7, 2023.
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