Tourists quebecers will be able to visit the Islands this summer, there are some guidelines that must be adhered to
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June 13, 2020 12: 43
Updated at 19h03
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The passage to the Îles-de-la-Madeleine from the June 26,
Judith Desmeules
The Sun
The government has finalised an agreement : tourists to quebec will be able to visit the Islands this summer, a sigh of relief for the Islanders. There are some guidelines that must be met, it will need to be well prepared.
The agreement with the neighboring provinces of New Brunswick and Île-du-Prince-Édouard allows quebec motorists heading to the ferry terminal, Mouse, in the direction of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Visitors will need to have a form dedicated to this shift, which will soon be available on the website of the government of Quebec. Without this piece of paper, it will be impossible to cross the borders. Visitors will also have in hand their ticket round-trip for the ferry as well as a proof of accommodation, tourist or family.
Stops will be allowed in New Brunswick to refuel, eat or sleep for a single night. However,the Île-du-Prince-Édouard request to the tourists directly to the terminal of a Mouse, since the output of the Confederation bridge. The tourists will stop only to refuel.
“[The agreement] will allow not only tourists quebec to visit the Îles-de-la-Madeleine and spend a memorable holiday in safety, but also to the tourism sector of the region, a pillar of the local economy, to resume its activities”, said the minister of Tourism Caroline Proulx in a press release.
Relief
In an open letter published on the 1st of June in the pages of the Sun, the member of parliament Joël Arseneau lamented in particular that the Islanders were taken hostage.
“Not only the Madelinots are they confined to their islands, but they see, in addition, collapsing by the hour, the last hopes of saving the tourist season 2020 under an avalanche of cancellations of stays,” he wrote.
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The context of the pandemic of the COVID-19 has generated a lot of uncertainty for the region. Even when the government’s announcement of the resumption of tourism, there was no question of the passage to the Islands, which had led to an avalanche of cancellations. The agreement announced Saturday brings “a breath of fresh air”.
“We can now look to the future with a certain optimism. There was a sigh of relief, most of the Islanders are happy for the jobs, the economy and businesses are going to have water in the mill, but the double issue was the family reunion annual. On the emotional level, they were much affected by it. Several receive their children only for the summer”, stated the member of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine for the Parti Québécois.
Public health of different provinces has agreed to fix the number of tourists 35 000 for the summer, half the number of visitors received last year.
Opening too late ?
“My original request dates back a month to the day. There has been a realization may be late on the government side. There has been a lot of cancellations, but I know that there is still appetite great for an escape in the archipelago. Knowing that our goal of visitors is limited, we will recover a part of the reservations lost,” said Mr. Arseneau.
The pandemic period is not completed, the member of parliament and the Islanders are hoping that these instructions will be held throughout the summer. They would have preferred to have a permission of passage earlier, but
