Expectations adapted to the regional air transport plan
The member for Îles-de-la-Madeleine has repeated it several times over the past two years: he would like the government to implement a new regional air transport model, with new carriers and new routes to stimulate competition. .
Joël Arseneau also tabled a petition in the National Assembly last February asking the government to support the TREQ aviation cooperative.
But I confess that my hopes are slim to arrive at a new model
advances the one who is also spokesperson for the Parti Québécois on transport.
He explains that the expert report produced in March 2021, but tabled in March 2022 by the government, rather suggests an announcement which revolves around the status quo with regional carriers and a marketing campaign
.
Innovative ways to stimulate demand through, for example, new, more reliable services with more capacity, greater frequency too… All that seems to have been put aside
deplores the deputy.
Examples of prices for a one-way flight :
- Gaspé – Montreal: from $460 to $543
- Sept-Îles – Montreal: from $393 to $551
- Mont-Joli – Montreal: from $289 to $462
Even when $50 million per year for the next five years was budgeted. What are we going to do with it? Are we really going to improve the service? Are we going to invest these sums in airport infrastructure? We don’t know yet
adds Mr. Arseneau.
Reliable and sustainable air links
For his part, the prefect of the
MRC de la Mitis, Bruno Paradis, is more flexible.He does not expect the project to create a parastatal company, Régionair, to be part of Minister Bonnardel’s plan, since he has not heard anything about it, but he only asks that the plan allow to achieve the same goals. In particular: ensure the sustainability of regional air transport, give regional elected officials a voice in Quebec and create recreational tourism packages in the region.
Mr. Paradis also hopes for measures, such as agreements with certain carriers, to be able to travel outside Quebec, from Gaspé to Paris, for example, without having to buy two different tickets and risk missing his second flight behind the first.
For example, to go to New York, if you take two tickets without any guarantee, it’s $600, but if you want a guarantee to get there, you get $1200.
he explains.
” The number of potential destinations has really dropped with the departure of Air Canada and that’s what we want to find, and prices that are more attractive, because currently, you have to take two tickets, so that still implies an incredible price difference. »
Moreover, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Régie intermunicipale de l’Aéroport de Mont-Joli, Mr. Paradis is particularly pleased to see that the announcement is planned for Mont-Joli.
We think it’s a clear demonstration that the Mont-Joli airport is the hub for air transport in Eastern Quebec.
he points out.
Encourage Quebecers to travel by plane
Both Mr. Arseneau and Mr. Paradis agree on the fact that a sufficiently interesting plan could encourage Quebecers to change their habits, particularly in a context where gas prices are breaking records.
For example, a professional who has to go to Montreal for a day for work could choose to go there by plane rather than by car.
Or, the offer must be sufficiently attractive in terms of destinations offered, times and prices.
If we managed to offer that, I think that Quebecers could choose air transport instead, as they do in Ontario. On a deficit to that recommended; traveling half as much by plane to our regions. On an 800 M$ which escape the public treasury by producing taxes, and that, the government does not seem to realize it. Investing in air transport has to do with the government and it has to do with the regions
says Mr. Arseneau.