Things are going badly at Réseau Charlevoix. Things are so bad that employees have been laid off and it is far from certain that the Charlevoix Train will be on the rails this spring, the Charlevoisien learned.
According to our information, the Charlevoix Train had a financial stake of around $625,000. Daniel Gauthier would have agreed to extend $125,000, the Germain Group $100,000 and the Secrétariat à la Capitale-Nationale $50,000.
Réseau Charlevoix wanted Baie-Saint-Paul, Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, La Malbaie, the MRCs of Charlevoix and Charlevoix-Est as well as Tourisme Charlevoix to contribute a sum of approximately $350,000.
Réseau Charlevoix expected a response by December 5. It is a recovery plan and the figures from Chemin de fer Charlevoix and Réseau Charlevoix which were requested by the organizations concerned in a recent communication, we learned from a source close to the matter.
When the hoped-for news did not arrive, the general director had to lay off several employees, including those in the railway workshop. If nothing changes by December 20, the three remaining employees will go home due to lack of cash.
Nancy Belley had indicated that 10,000 fewer boardings appeared on the balance sheet for the 2024 season. A situation which had created an operating deficit which she had not quantified, but which was estimated at a few hundred thousand dollars.
If Chemin de fer Charlevoix were to fold, it would be CN that would take over the railway line. This is what was understood during the transaction with Groupe Le Massif at the time.
It is a standoff that is taking place for the survival of the Charlevoix Train against the backdrop of a fairly obvious communication problem.
Réseau Charlevoix comes to an agreement relatively easily with the Quebec government to obtain funds while in the region there is no power with the authorities. It is as if a different language is used by each party.
