Organisation de la pratique du quad au Québec
With its 134 clubs and more than 48,000 FQCQ (Fédération Québécoise des Clubs Quads) members throughout the territory, Quebec has a unique structure and operating framework.
There are an estimated 300,000 vehicles in circulation in the province of Québec alone, of which 294,706 are registered with the S.A.A.Q. ATVing can be practiced year-round, notably in winter (on trails maintained by clubs).
Atving and clubs statistics. Quad: a young and growing industry.
In 10 years, from 1993 to 2004:
The number of registered ATVs has more than doubled, going from 128,901 to 294,706, adding more than 165,805 vehicles, which converts to a 116% increase.
As of September 2001, 13% of the adult population in Québec had practiced at least a quad leisure trip of an hour or more, during the preceding 12 months. ATVing appears to be as thriving as much if not more than snowmobile. (Practice rates for snowmobile were 14% in 1998, while numbers of registered vehicles have been decreasing since 1995).
Source: Final report from Desjardins Marketing Stratégie, in collaboration with Tescult inc. Québec, August 2004.
Marked trail network
Clubs affiliated to the FQCQ offer 17,045 km of trails, of which 9,661.15 km are available in winter only, 7,384 km during the summer and 4,685 km year-round.
Listing of regions offering year-round access to the trails:
- Bas-Saint-Laurent
- Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
- Capitale-Nationale
- Mauricie
- Estrie
- Outaouais
- Abitibi-Témiscamingue
- Îles-de-la-Madeleine
- Chaudière-Appalaches
- Lanaudière
- Laurentides
- Montérégie
- Centre-du-Québec
Winter Trail Access:
- Capitale-Nationale
Summer trail Access :
- Côte-Nord
- Capitale-Nationale
- Gaspésie
The québec market
Desired aspects sought by quad drivers:
- Well maintained trails
- Adequate signage
- Beautiful landscapes
Snow conditions in the winter and vast natural expanses easily accessible via trail networks, making it even more important to rely on field crews composed of local clubs, overseen by a strong and representative provincial organization.
The industry
| Year | Registered Vehicles on December 31st | Members on October 31st | KM of trails | Member Clubs on April 30th | New off-road vehicles sold in Québec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 276 576 | 51 108 | 17 159 | 140 | 28 605 |
| 2002 | 257 993 | 43 867 | 16 436 | 130 | 37 303 |
| 2001 | 238 151 | 33 658 | 15 046 | 121 | 23 415 |
| 2000 | 222 596 | 31 711 | 11 334 | 109 | 21 816 |
| 1999 | 191 311 | 23 517 | 8 906 | 100 | 17 807 |
| 1998 | 175 026 | 16 644 | N/D | 95 | 11 117 |
| 1997 | 162 892 | 12 500 | N/D | 77 | 10 548 |
| 1996 | 156 194 | 11 000 | 8 227 | 72 | 8 663 |
| 1995 | 147 647 | 9000 | 60 | 9 238 | |
| 1994 | 138 172 | N/D | 53 | 9 812 | |
| 1993 | 128 901 | N/D | 51 | 11 429 |
Overview of the economic impact of the quad industry in quebec
Spending associated with ATVing is estimated at around $250 million. Economic fallouts benefit regions where the economy is less diversified.
Growth of the industry starts with:
- Setting up well-designed trails, interconnected and easily accessible, properly documented and mapped.
- Developing secondary networks along the main ATV trails, in areas with significant touristic appeal.
- Emphasize regions north of the St. Lawrence river with the best snow conditions in winter and vast natural expanses readily accessible.
- Through existing networks.
- The need to rely on an existing on field organization composed of local groups, overseen by a representative and strong provincial structure.
Source : July 1996 Pluram and the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec.