The vanlifea pandemic trend? Nay! Despite the relaunch of international travel and the decline in the purchasing power of Quebecers in recent years, road trips in a converted van are still as charming as ever. With order books and rental calendars filling up as fast as ever, local companies have decided to expand by setting their sights on Quebec City.
“For four years, we have had difficulty meeting demand in our region. Our vans are all rented quickly. When we saw that we were receiving more and more messages from people who would like a service in Quebec, we said to ourselves that there was a market to be had,” said Olivier Marcoux, founder of Bromont Campervan.
About ten days ago, the company launched a crowdfunding campaign with the objective of raising $100,000. The amount raised will allow the purchase of new vehicles and the opening of a branch in Quebec next May. “Europeans represent 60% of our customers, and more and more of them are landing at Jean-Lesage airport. We will be there to facilitate their visit to Quebec and its region. »
As its name suggests, Bromont Campervan currently only offers its services in the Eastern Townships city. When it started in 2021, in the middle of a pandemic, the company only had seven converted vans to rent. Today, it has around fifteen, including six electric.
In Quebec, Mr. Marcoux wishes to offer between five and ten additional vehicles for rental. All electric. “We are betting on local tourism. The region has many attractions… No need to travel miles to take in the views,” he says, specifying that his vans Electric vehicles have a range of around 200 km.
Quebec also represents an ideal starting point for getaways to Gaspésie, Lac-Saint-Jean or Tadoussac. A detail that did not escape VanLife MTL and Le Baroudeur. The two well-known companies in the vanlife in Montreal also recently announced plans to settle in the national capital in 2025.
“Quebec is the second largest city in Quebec and it is especially close to many national parks. Access to the outdoors goes hand in hand with vanlifeso we had to be there,” says Catherine Vachon of VanLife MTL.
The company, which has specialized in the sale and rental of converted vans since 2017, will therefore open a new service point there from January. But to begin with, it is mainly servicing, maintenance, repair and installation of accessories that will be offered. Ultimately, the rental and sale of vans developed could be added to the offer. “We are taking our time, we are taking it one step at a time to see if the demand is there. »
“We especially want to make ourselves more available everywhere in Quebec,” explains M.me Vachon. The company recently announced a partnership with Roulottes Rémillard. The recreational vehicle dealership in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu will sell certain models of vans fitted out by the company.
Like clockwork
One thing is certain: the craze for travel in van don’t run out of steam. In the midst of a pandemic, many believed it was a short-lived trend that had become popular due to border closures and distancing measures. A few years later, it is clear that there are more and more fans of this mode of travel.
” The vanlife has a spontaneous side that Quebecers love. You are completely independent, there is everything available. It also offers a lot of freedom and simplicity. And as a foreign tourist, you don’t need to book 10 different hotels,” notes M.me Vachon.
Even inflation and the decline in the purchasing power of Quebecers do not seem to have damaged the sector. “We feel that people are more cautious and that they find out more before buying. It’s still expensive, van costs an average of $150,000. But, in the end, our sales are holding up,” she maintains.
Rentals also remain popular. If many Quebecers have abandoned this mode of travel with the resumption of international tourism, others continue to turn to renting a van to try it before buying. European tourists are returning to the country in large numbers and are very curious to try this way of life for several weeks or months.
At Bromont Campervan, reservations for summer 2025 have even already started. “After the holidays, it’s going to take off, that’s when people start thinking about their summer vacation. When we arrive in spring, we are often almost full for the season,” explains Olivier Marcoux.
“The pandemic has really been an accelerator,” he continues. This made it possible to open up a clientele who would have been interested in the vanlifebut maybe later. It also democratized it by removing certain preconceived ideas. »
