Elected officials demand more for air transport in Abitibi-Témiscamingue

The MNA for Rouyn-Noranda-Témiscamingue, Émilise Lessard-Therrien, regrets that the plane tickets for a $500 round trip do not allow you to leave from a regional airport to a city in another region. . Quebec has restricted the program to the airports of Montreal, Quebec City and St-Hubert, which are the main departure and arrival points for travelers from the regions.

Regional air routes eligible for the fixed maximum price airfare component

Photo: Government of Quebec

What would have been needed was to evaluate for real the proposal that was on the table with the cooperative [de transport aérien régional] TREC to provide better service. We had to integrate a new player supported by the community. […] The government has chosen to fatten the coffers of the airlines by subsidizing the portion of the ticket that will remain to be paid beyond the 500 dollarssupports the united deputy.

The supportive MP for Rouyn-Noranda-Témiscamingue, Émilise Lessard-Therrien.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Jean-Michel Cotnoir

Parti Québécois transport spokesperson, Joël Arseneau, agrees, maintaining that the plan presented is essentially intended for citizens of large cities.

This is not a plan for regional air transport, it is essentially a measure for people who live in cities to go sightseeing in the regions. It’s even a plan that will allow people from elsewhere in Canada or around the world to visit our regions. We welcome them, but this is not a plan for people who live in the regions. Those who are going to leave Abitibi-Témiscamingue to visit Gaspésie, for example, they will not have to buy a $500 ticket, it’s two $500 tickets because you have to go through Montreal or Quebeche laments.

Parti Québécois transport spokesperson, Joël Arseneau (archives)

Photo: Radio-Canada

Émilise Lessard-Therrien does not share the opinion of the Quebec Minister of Transport, François Bonnardel, who believes that the government’s plan for regional air transport will stimulate demand and traffic at airports such as Rouyn-Noranda and Val- Golden.

Traffic already exists in Rouyn-Noranda. We have a very poor service for our region. It’s complicated to move around. Every time I took flights, they were full even if the tickets cost between 700 and 900 dollars from Rouyn-Norandashe points out.

Federal government intervention called for

The MP for Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Sébastien Lemire, believes that the federal government must also do its part to support regional air transport in Quebec.

The government may have some cards up its sleeve, but is slow to use them to lower the rates paid by consumers. Consequently, if there are more people who fly, we risk having better reliability and frequency in our service offer in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.he explains.

The Bloc member for Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Sébastien Lemire.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Andrei Audet

Among the actions that could be taken by the federal government, the Bloc MP cites the elimination of surcharges for carriers, airport taxes and passenger security fees.

Sébastien Lemire notes that the Bloc Québécois has directly challenged the Trudeau government in the past and is doing so again this week during the activities of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, which is examining in particular the study of red tape and cost reduction at rural and urban airports in Canada.

A step in the right direction

For his part, the president of the Conference of Prefects of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Sébastien D’Astous, is optimistic and believes that the measures announced can represent a step in the right direction.

It’s interesting, if measures are taken like this, it will increase demand, there will be more people who will take air transport. At the same time, we hope to consolidate the offer and ensure that there will be a service that will be reliable and with a more reasonable schedule for Abitibi-Témiscamingue.he wishes.

Sébastien D’Astous, President of the Conference of Prefects of Abitibi-Témiscamingue (archives)

Photo: Radio-Canada / Vincent Rességuier

Mr. D’Astous maintains that the public transportation offer must be improved in the region in order to convince more tourists to fly to visit Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

It is certain that there is work to be done to be able to cross a territory like ours with great distances. If we want to deploy tourism, if we want to provide accessibility, of course there is a lot of work to be done in terms of public transporthe says.