Quebec's Mont‑Sainte‑Anne ski resort gets green light to open in time for holidays

The four aerial ski lifts at Mont‑Sainte‑Anne are set to resume operations after Quebec’s building authority lifted an order that had shut them down last week over electrical safety concerns.

The resort in Beaupré, Que., 40 kilometres northeast of Quebec City, has been forced to postpone its opening twice this ski season. Officials now plan to open Friday at 9 a.m., though forecasted rainfall could delay the start until Saturday.

In a news release Wednesday afternoon, Mont‑Sainte‑Anne said operator Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) has met all regulatory requirements and outlined the measures taken to ensure lift safety.

The shutdown, ordered Friday by the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), was meant to ensure that electrical issues at the resort would not compromise lift safety, with particular attention to braking systems and operational procedures.

Mont‑Sainte‑Anne said an inspection and audit Tuesday tested how the lifts respond to power outages and voltage fluctuations. Various brake tests and scenario simulations confirmed the lifts met safety standards, the resort said.

RBQ CEO Michel Beaudoin defended the agency’s actions, which delayed the start of the ski season. “Because of electrical work at Mont‑Sainte‑Anne, the RBQ had to ensure the lifts would operate safely in the event of a power failure or fluctuation,” he said. Beaudoin added that the RBQ will continue working with resort officials to ensure safety requirements are fully met.

Mont‑Sainte‑Anne said the lifts will be officially put back into service and tested without passengers all day Thursday in preparation for the official opening, and that a more detailed opening plan will be published shortly.

This is not the first time the ski resort has had a rough start to the season.

In December 2023, a gondola cabin fell at Mont‑Sainte‑Anne, though no one was in it at the time. Six days after the event, the RBQ ordered all ski lifts closed and suggested human error might have caused the gondola to slip off its cable.

RCR officials later blamed human error, saying engineers ruled out the gondola itself, as well as the mechanical and electrical components of the lift and its maintenance plan.

In February 2020, the gondolas came to a sudden stop, leaving 21 people injured, including 12 who were taken to hospital. The incident, blamed on a power failure, prompted lawsuits.

Mont‑Sainte‑Anne said it is confident the work carried out on the resort’s main electrical line was completed according to industry standards and that its aerial lifts fully meet all current safety regulations.

“We also want to assure our customers that in the event of a total power outage, the lifts are designed to allow for the safe evacuation of all passengers using backup motors,” the resort said.

“These backup systems are tested regularly throughout the season, and our staff are trained to implement the procedure.”