Mount Carleton hub pushed through, says ex-park manager

The former manager of Mount Carleton Park says the New Brunswick government has found a backdoor way tomove forward withtheproposedsnowmobile hubwithout a park management plan.

The provincialgovernment has posted a draft regulation on its website amending the Off-Road Vehicle Actto include a description of the snowmobile hub, which includesa fuelling stationand openingup 343 kilometres of trails.

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Jean-LouisDeveau, the former park manager,saidinstead of going through the Parks Act,whichwould require the government to create a park management plan, the provincial government has used the Off-Road Vehicle Act to enact thehub.

"It certifies that this is adone deal," saidDeveau.

"It circumvents the complexities [of going] through the front door, which is with consultations in developing a management plan... it's a brilliant strategy on the part of the government, but it's a slap in the face."

It's asneaky way to put snowmobiles before the animals in the area.-RonTremblay, Grand Chief for theMaliseetGrand Council

A park management plan is essentially a blueprint determiningactivities allowed in the protected area, whichbecame mandatory for all provincial parksunder the Parks Act in 2014.

Deveau,along with theMaliseetGrand Council,is taking the government to court over the province's plan to build the snowmobile hub.

They've filed a judicial review over the absence of a park management plan, afull environmental impact assessment and concerns over the hub endangering the park's ecosystem.

Bill Fraser, who was the province'stourism minister when he spoke on the issue, hassaidit willtake some time before a plan is developedfor Mount Carletonand other provincial parks.

No guarantees

A provincial official says the amended legislation does not mean the snowmobile hub will go ahead.

"[It]in no way guarantees the establishment of the grooming hub," saidJason Hoyt, spokespersonfor the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture.

Hoyt also saidthe change to the legislationrelates to expanding snowmobile trail services.

"The public consultation is on whether they support the extension of the snowmobile season by two weeks," said Hoyt.

Ron Tremblay, theGrand Chief for theMaliseetGrand Council, questions the provincial government's response.

"Why did they wait till last minute at legislature to push through [the amendment] then?" said Tremblay.

'Sneaky way'

The amendment to theOff-Road VehicleAct,which determines where and when off-road vehiclescan move around in the province,waspassed on June 28.

Public input on the draft regulation is openuntil Aug. 12.

"It's asneaky way to put snowmobiles before the animals in the area," Tremblay said.

Deveausaid heworries the amendment sets a dangerous precedent for the government to move forward without park management plans at other provincial parksin New Brunswick.

"It says to the First Nation people that have been consulted on the management plan that it was all for nothing," said Deveau.

In April, chiefs from theKingsclear,OromoctoandTobiqueFirst Nationsmet with Fraserabout plans for the provincial park.

Tremblayand Deveau's court case has been pushed back from June to September.TheMaliseetGrand Council launched acrowdfundingcampaign last month to help cover legal fees.

The snowmobile hub was initially announced by the provincial government in July 2015.