History

History

Established in 1974, the FCMQ offers several services to its members and plays a key role as their representative in dealings with government and legal authorities in Québec. Its history is closely knit with the history of snowmobiling and of Québec.

Key dates:

  • 1959 - Development of the first snowmobile by Joseph Armand Bombardier
  • 1962 - Creation of the Association canadienne de l’autoneige (ACAN)
  • 1968 - Foundation of the International Snowmobile Council (ISC)
  • 1974 - Foundation of the Québec Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (FCMQ)
  • 1975 - First intra-provincial trail (“pioneers“ trail)
  • 1980 - First general snowmobile trails map
  • 1991 - Foundation of the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO-CCOM)
  • 1991 - First Super Snowmobile Show
  • 1995 - Creation of the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA)
  • 1995 - Creation of the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA )
  • 2000 - First interactive snowmobile trails map
  • 2000 - The FCMQ includes public liability insurance coverage with the purchase of a trail permit
  • 2001 - Mrs Micheline Daigle becomes the first woman to sit on the FCMQ Board of directors
  • 2002 - Launching of the pilot provincial trail patrol project
  • 2012 - Launch of Imotoneige, a snowmobile trail mobile phone application
  • 2015 - Mrs Denise Grenier becomes the first woman to be elected to the position of President of the FCMQ Board of directors
  • 2016 - The FCMQ launches EcoSentier, a snowmobile trail environmental certification program
  • 2017 - Trail permits are now available for purchase online via the FCMQ Web site

Today, the FCMQ counts 197 snowmobile clubs, that is more than 100,000 individual members throughout Québec.

Events that have made history:

  • The first international snowmobile festival, held in Valcourt in 1982, has become what is known today as le Grand Prix de Valcourt.
  • The Manoir Richelieu hosted the Annual Congress of the International Snowmobile Council in 1988. The “Grand rassemblement de Charlevoix” continues to be held today.
  • The first Women’s Ride was organized in 1989 by the Ours Blancs snowmobile club of Maniwaki. In 2007, the Kelly Shires Snow Run prompted a good number of women to rally around an important cause.
  • The first Super Snowmobile Show attracted 9,000 visitors. Renamed Recreational Motorized Sport Show and organized by the FCMQ, he was held every year until 2015. In 2016, FCMQ and FQCQ put together the first Salon National Quad - Motoneige (snowmobile and ATV National Show) at the CentrExpo Cogéco in Drummondville.

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