Chicoutimi Marina: can the owner legally sell the building?

The building that houses the Chicoutimi marina could be sold to the City of Saguenay over the next year. Promotion Saguenay has been negotiating in recent months to purchase the building. However, the legal status of the current owner could complicate a possible transaction.

It is the Chicoutimi Hunting and Fishing Association (ACPC) which owns the building located on Boulevard Saguenay Est. The organization has been removed from the Quebec Business Register since September 19, 2023. The ACPC has not filed an annual report for more than three years, a condition required by the government to remain listed in the register. This situation greatly limits the powers and influence of administrators.

Josianne Rioux-Colin, professor in the legal sciences department at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), explains that a deregistration like this leads to the dissolution of the legal entity.

In this case, the association would maintain its existence to complete legal or administrative procedures which were already in progress. She couldn’t make a transaction. The only thing to do would be to request the revocation of the delistingindicates the professor.

Saguenay shows its colors

The City of Saguenay owns the land where the marina building is located, in addition to the launching ramp and the parking lot. The dilapidated state of the building has been criticized for several years and the ACPC is seeking to get rid of it.

Some private developers have reportedly shown an interest, but the City of Saguenay has clearly stated its intention to acquire it. The mandate was entrusted to the Promotion Saguenay team. Municipal councilor Michel Potvin, who is a member of the board of directors, confirms that negotiations are underway. The City hopes to reach an agreement in 2025. The building would continue to house the Chicoutimi Yacht Club and could retain a leisure and tourism vocation.

- briefly discussed this issue with Mr. Potvin and other Chicoutimi borough councilors. No one knew the legal status of the Chicoutimi Hunting and Fishing Association or its removal from the Business Register.

The Association minimizes the situation

The president of the ACPC, Claude Gaudreault, is stingy with comments on this subject. Mr. Gaudreault refuses to confirm the status of the negotiations. Asked about the consequences of the delisting on a possible transaction, he mentioned that this decision could be revoked and that steps are underway. However, he refuses to confirm whether the ACPC board of directors met recently to regularize the situation.

An unhealthy climate for several years

According to our information, the board of directors has not met since 2020. Even if the pandemic has complicated the activities of the Association, several people have criticized the climate there, affirming that a small group of individuals harms the proper functioning and resumption of activities of the organization.