Brownsburg-Chatham is closer to becoming officially a recognized and reliable place for highway travelers to stop for visitor services.
At a special meeting held on Tuesday, March 19, Brownsburg-Chatham council approved signing an agreement with the Ministère des transports du Québec (MTQ) for the town to officially have the title as a Village-relais. The provincial transport department and the Fédération des Villages-relais du Québec administer the program. The MTQ approached the town in the fall of 2022 about receiving the designation. Municipalities with populations of less than 10,000 with connections to official provincial highways and tourism routes are eligible. Even though Lachute is larger and nearby, it is not eligible because its population exceeds 10,000.
Under the Village-relais program, cooperation is established with local businesses and services to offer visitors a reliable, safe, welcoming place to stop, and possibly extend their visit. The MTQ installs signage along highways, showing the distance to the next Village-relais and the services available there. Village-relais municipalities are also eligible for grants related to the program.
Currently, Montebello is the nearest Village-relais to the west of Brownsburg-Chatham. The other two Villages-relais in the Laurentides region are Labelle and Lac des écorces. There are currently 40 Village-relais municipalities across Québec.
An official designation of Brownsburg-Chatham as a Village-relais is planned for May of 2024.
