Pain, disappointment and great misunderstanding. Mario Pelchat has a hard time explaining why he didn't get a permit from Quebec's Commission for the Protection of Agricultural Lands (CPTAQ) to perform on his farm this summer. In all, he must cancel 45 planned shows and refund thousands of tickets. “I cried everything there was,” he said.
Domaine Pelchat Lemaître-Auger, owned by Mario Pelchat and his wife Claire Lemaître-Auger, announced the news Tuesday morning on its Facebook page. The couple has confirmed that “despite all our good faith,” all shows at the Saint-Joseph-du-Lac vineyard must be canceled for the 2024 summer season.
“In fact, the Commission for the Protection of Agricultural Lands of Quebec (CPTAQ) issued an order prohibiting us from offering it on the vineyard, while we always thought to act in accordance with the law exposing such events in the agricultural and rural tourism environment in and at the same time highlighting our agricultural operation and vineyard And its products and crafts.
nightmare”
Contacted by Newspaper, Mario Pelchat stated that he received this news “with astonishment.” He makes sure he follows all procedures to the letter and requests the necessary permits. “But I find that we are left a bit to our own devices when we start a business,” he laments.
On March 12, the CPTAQ committee informed him of its decision. In the following weeks, Mario Pelchat tried his best to convince the committee to change its mind. “I tried to get their approval or leniency, but they threatened to go to the Supreme Court. At some point, that's enough stress. I've been hyperventilating ever since this nightmare started. I have a lot of anxiety. So, I made the decision on Friday to stop all something”.
Loss of job
Mario Pelchat had planned to perform 45 shows at his home this summer. He alternated between presenting his songs and honoring Gilbert Pequod. About 9,000 of the 11,000 available tickets were sold. Clients included people from Quebec, New Brunswick and France.
“There are groups that tell us they still want to visit us, buy wine and discover the place,” he says. We will compensate them for the presentation portion.”
In addition to the thousands of tickets that will be reimbursed, the singer also regrets the job losses associated with this announcement. “There are 35 people who lost their jobs,” he said. He asked CPTAQ for a deadline to continue the summer season despite everything. Without success.
complaint
Mario Pelchat understands this decision even less, knowing that he made about forty offers in his vineyard every summer in 2022 and last year. “In all the orchards [de la province]He adds: “In all the vineyards there are events and shows like ours.”
When he made this statement to the CPTAQ committee, he was told that the committee worked through complaints, because “we only have seven inspectors on the road.” Thus, it is one complaint that would have ensured that no concert would take place at Domaine Pechat Lemaître-Auger.
“I would like to know who made it, because no one complained about the noise of the neighbors,” confirms Mario Pelchat. My production manager lives 1,500 feet from the room and we hear absolutely nothing when the shows are on.
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