Patrick Boucher

The season 2006-07 will surely be remembered for its beginning which was deprived of snow. In the middle of January, we were still waiting for snow on the large majority of the Quebec territory and that was so unusual that the media made it one of their main stories.

Obviously, a late winter season had many repercussions. First of all, for us the snowmobilers who couldn’t wait to practice our favorite activity, but also for everyone involved in the world of snowmobile for which this activity is a very valuable resource. The practice of snowmobile in Quebec has important economic and tourism impacts and when the raw material does not cooperate the effects are felt very quickly.

The large majority of tourist associations report disappointing assessments for this season, which just ended. For several snowmobilers, the beginning of their excursions took place late in January and their expenditures for the season were also obviously less. The dealers had also a slow season and the number of rights of access sold by many clubs also experienced a considerable reduction.

But a thing remains certain however and that is the passion that snowmobilers have for winter. This last season is perhaps not the best of the last few years but we all are trustful that the next ones will be formidable.

During this last year the AdmdQ have concluded an advantageous program for their members with the Capital General Insurance which entitled members of the association to a reductions on their snowmobile insurance premium. This is a considerable aspect of the practice of the snowmobile since the expenditures related to our activity are important and it is by associating that we can obtain such benefits.

The Association also continued to broadcast to its members the advantages of being covered by AirMédic ambulances of the sky service, which covers all the members of AdmdQ during the practice of the snowmobile everywhere in Quebec. We believe that this service is essential for all the snowmobilers and its importance is indisputable. For this reason it involves a tiny investment from the members of AdmdQ in comparison to the cost of the air ambulance transport.

During the last season we also made the Snow Hawk of AD Boivin our official snowmobile. This company entirely made in Quebec deserves to be supported by the snowmobilers of Quebec and we will continue to promote it with pride to the snowmobile lovers of Quebec.

We will test next season with the assistance of the AdmdQ directors and two clubs of snowmobile, the Bat which is another Quebec innovation that aims at saving lives. It is a system of localization of groups equipped with a warning system. An agreement was also negotiated in order to give a reduction to the members.

The goal of AdmdQ is to give a strong voice to the snowmobilers, but it is also to provide the tools in order to make our activity more secure while giving us a capacity of negotiation and saving.

I would like to say thank you to all those, which gave their time this season in order to make this association stronger, and all our other partners such as CHOKO and the Stores WMD, which supported us without condition. It is with enthusiasm that we look forward for the next season and on my behalf as well as, Mario Ravenelle (vice-president), Nancy Fredette (general director) and all the team of directors of the areas, we wish you a very beautiful summer.