Forest roads: 

The two organisations that answered my complaints were the Ville de La Tuque, the division for territorial planning of the Haute Mauricie, who consented to help us by investing ridiculous amount of $20,000, spread out over 3 years without guarantee. This amount will barely cover 3 km of repairs on the Kanawata and Lake Lortie roads: there are approximately 25 km of road to repair. The outfitter Kanawata, will use the total amount just to repair roads on their territory, because it is commercial and therefore they think $$, besides the outfitter also has the machinery to do the repairs. Outside the Kanawata territory, where we have our cottages, we cannot repair our roads because we have no money, no machinery and no one to help us. 

The forest roads that give us access to our cottages are degrading at the blink of the eye, even dangerous at some places and within no time we will become trapped because we will no longer have access to our cottages. We will be forced to make a detour of about 100 km in the future, if we want to have access. Do I have to mention that there are about forty cottages north of Lake Manouane in the sector of Lakes Sarto and Lortie? The worst is that Quad and snowmobile clubs ride our forest roads and demolish them to the profit of the outfitters in the region. Since the law stipulates that as cottage owners we should maintain the roads at our cost in order to have access, I sincerely think that the outfitters have the responsibility and obligation to maintain their roads, including the road from Riviere aux Rats up to the bridge of the Sarto River and from the Sarto bridge to the Casey road, about 25 km. We ask that the government help us. 

On the Casey road, which is a Quebec government numbered highway, a forest highway that the government along with the MRC of Haute Mauricie should maintain, there is a bridge that is closed because it is consider dangerous. This bridge was closed last fall. We are now September 2008 and it still is not repaired. A 600$ fine is given to those who are caught crossing it. If we do not have help rebuilding our roads from the government then soon we will no longer have access to our cottages. If nothing is done and we cannot get help, then we will have to do something. 

If our roads are our responsibility, then we will be forced to take action. We will need to install a barrier right after the Sarto Bridge so anyone and everyone who use our forest roads will be obliged to pay. This would help finance the repairs as well as maintain our forest roads. Those who have properties in Joliette, La Tuque or Louiseville, have to pay taxes and when their roads need repairs, they do not have to negotiate or beg in order to get their roads repaired. So then why do they tell us that we are responsible for the maintenance of our roads? We pay taxes just like anyone else so why don’t we have the right to have our forest roads safe and adequate.