Aug 18, 2026
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At a public meeting held this evening, the Edmundston City Council authorized a withdrawal of $225,000 from the reserve fund to help finance the modernization of the Républik Nature ski lift.
This decision follows two major equipment breakdowns in two years, the most recent of which occurred on December 28, 2025, right in the middle of the holiday season, and helps secure a key tourism asset for the region.
The project, which includes replacing the gearbox, upgrading the electrical and control systems, installing new safety walkways, and conducting specialized inspections of the towers, meets the industry’s strictest safety standards.
This project is funded by the City and the Regional Development Corporation, as part of the $1.4 million budget that the City Council approved in April 2021 to support the pivotal and essential Républik Nature project.
This investment comes at the end of an exceptional 2025-2026 season for Républik Nature: increased season pass sales, the first Skijoring event in Atlantic Canada, the first round of the FMSQ National Championship, and a community fundraising campaign, “Chase the Ace,” which has already raised over $31,000 with the support of 30 retailers and volunteers. The community has shown yet again its confidence in the mountain; the city is doing the same.
"Every dollar invested in the ski lift enhances user safety and boosts our region’s economic vitality. It’s a prudent, targeted move that is fully aligned with our investment plan for Républik Nature and is part of our strategic plan that emphasizes the importance of working to make our city a choice destination," said Eric Marquis, mayor of Edmundston.
This funding is part of Républik Nature’s longer-term investment plan, which calls for the renovation of the visitor centre, a new four-season ski lift, and the modernization of the snowmaking system by 2029.
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CONTACT: Eric Marquis, Mayor of Edmundston, 506.739.2115