Should Camp Fortune Install New Ski Run Lighting in Gatineau Park?

Official title: Camp Fortune: Ski Lighting Project

Closed Environmental Assessment Environment & Climate Natural Resources
Camp Fortune wants to install 60 new LED lights on ski trails in Gatineau Park to expand night skiing. The project would add lighting to the Meech chairlift corridor and two trails (Paradis and North American) that currently don't have night skiing. The lights are designed to be dark-sky friendly and reduce environmental impact.

Why This Matters

Love night skiing at Camp Fortune? This project would add more beginner and intermediate runs for evening sessions. Live near Gatineau Park? New lighting in a federal park could affect wildlife and the night sky you enjoy. The project uses dark-sky approved LEDs, but 60 new light poles still change the landscape.

What Could Change

If approved, Camp Fortune could install 54 new light poles and 6 lights on existing chairlift towers. Night skiing would expand to include the Meech chairlift and two additional trails. The project would need to meet federal environmental requirements since it's on National Capital Commission land.

Key Issues

  • Should new lighting infrastructure be installed in Gatineau Park for recreational purposes?
  • Are the environmental mitigation measures (dark-sky LEDs, minimal excavation) sufficient?
  • What are the impacts on wildlife and the natural environment from expanded night operations?

Indigenous Consultation

This consultation requires engagement with Indigenous communities under the Crown's duty to consult.