Eastern Canada Ski Resorts Convention & Trade Show Welcomes A Record 560 Attendees

The 2025 edition of the Eastern Canada Ski Resorts Convention and Trade Show* welcomed a record 560 attendees this week to the Hilton Lac-Leamy Convention Center in Gatineau. Under the theme " The Mountain: Driving Well-being, Sustainability, and the Future ," the event brought together ski resort professionals from Quebec, Ontario, and the Maritime provinces to address the crucial issues of tomorrow: customer experience, innovation, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development.

The Congress concluded with the unveiling of the results of the 2024-2025 Economic and Financial Study of Ski Resorts, conducted by MCE Conseils, which provides a positive assessment of an industry in full resilience.

Marked increase in attendance and revenue

The resorts recorded a total of 6.231 million ski days , a 4% increase over last year. This increased attendance allowed the industry to reach ticket revenues of $242 million, the highest peak recorded in this revenue category in the history of the industry in Quebec .

Contrasting regional portrait

Some regions have seen remarkable increases in attendance:

- Outaouais : +14% (406,000 ski days)
- Eastern Quebec : + 7% (313,000 ski days)
- Lanaudière : +6% (406,000 ski days)

In total, the three main regions (Laurentides, Estrie, Capitale-Nationale) generated 72.5% of total attendance and experienced respective increases in their traffic of 2, 4 and 2%.

It is worth noting that daily ticket sales increased dramatically by 18% last season, generating revenues of $134 million. However, season pass sales recorded a slight decline of 4.5%. Snow school sales also increased (+15%), reaching $31.1 million, while summer revenues fell by 11.9%.

A two-part weather season

The start of the season was delayed in 55% of resorts (an average of 11 days), but February and March saw a strong rebound thanks to significant snowfall, including the February "storm of the century." January 18, 2025, was identified as the busiest day of the season.

A mobilizing congress for the future

Beyond the results, the return of the Eastern Canada Ski Resorts Congress and Trade Show was a highlight for the industry. The conferences, panels, and workshops generated rich discussions on the future of the mountain. This edition clearly demonstrated that collaboration and the sharing of expertise are central to the sustainable development of skiing in Eastern Canada.

"With the data unveiled at the conference, we are particularly proud to see how the efforts made by ski resort managers have borne fruit. These results demonstrate the strength of the ski industry and the growth potential of winter tourism in Quebec. There is no doubt that resorts act as powerful economic vectors for communities, contributing concretely to the vitality of the regions of Quebec and all of Eastern Canada. This is great proof that our industry is alive, well-rooted, and resolutely committed to a sustainable future," emphasizes Yves Juneau, President and CEO of the ASSQ.

2025 Excellence Awards: Highlighting Leadership, Innovation and Commitment

The Excellence Awards highlighted the most remarkable initiatives in the field. Here are the recipients:

• Eco-responsible and sustainable initiatives — Mont Tremblant Resort
• Development of new skiers — Mont Tremblant Resort
• Community Engagement — Mont Bellevue
• Succession Manager — Nicolas Fortier, Ski Mont Blanc
• For the Love of Skiing Award — Mount Gleason: Awarded to the resort with the highest satisfaction rating from skiers and snowboarders.
• Tribute to Réal-Boulanger — Claude Péloquin, General Manager of Bromont, mountain of experiences

*The 2025 Quebec Ski Resorts Association (QSRA) conference was held in collaboration with the Ontario Snow Resorts Association (OSRA) and the Atlantic Ski Resorts Association (ASRA). It brought together representatives from 50 resorts in Quebec, 19 in Ontario, and 7 in the Maritime provinces, in addition to several industry supplier companies.