Is cruisin’ the Whakuroute in your future?

Someday you may be able to drive down this road to southern Quebec if the so-called Whakuroute south from the twin communities of Whapmagoostui and Kuujjuaraapik becomes reality. (FILE PHOTO)

Wouldn’t it be nice to hop into your truck in Kuujjuaraapik and drive down to Val d’Or, or even as far as Montreal, for some shopping?

The construction of a road south from the twin Inuit-Cree communities of Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui may make this possible within 10 years or even sooner.

Although Quebec has not made a final decision to move ahead with the project, it’s under serious consideration, and the road already has a forward-looking, if somewhat goofy, name: Whakuroute.

This 250-kilometre road would likely run between Great Whale River’s neighbouring communities of Whapmagoostui and Kuujjuaraapik and the northern end of the provincial road network at La Grande’s LG-2 hydroelectric project.

For the moment, all Quebec’s transport department and engineers will say is that the Whakuroute is still at the pre-feasibility stage.

But Yves Pilotte of Transports Québec in Val d’Or said the Whakuroute could advance quickly, depending on the will of the Quebec government and the private sector – and on a recommendation that his department plans to make to the transport minister by the end of 2009.

People in Kuujjuaraapik and Whapmagoostui have already had their chance during public meetings to say whether they want a road – and their response was mainly positive, Pilotte said.

Another public consultation on the Whakuroute will be held later this month in Chisasibi, which is already connected to Quebec’s road network.

The Whakuroute pre-feasibility report to the transport minister will include information about its economic impact, looking at its potential effects on the energy, mining, forestry and tourism sectors.

The report will also look at economic spinoffs for the province and the region, as well what it will mean for household income and expenses.

These would likely drop if goods could be trucked in, rather than be shipped by air or sea.

A recent price index survey commissioned by the Crees showed some prices are more than three times higher in Whapmagoostui than in Val d’Or.

This survey found most of the higher prices are due to transport costs incurred during the final leg of the trip north by air from La Grande, which would be eliminated by the construction of the Whakuroute.

The Whakuroute pre-feasibility report will also look at environmental issues related to the construction of a road, its possible impact on land management and how it could affect energy consumption by local households and industries.

Most importantly, the report will make a recommendation about whether the construction of Whakuroute is feasible or not and how it fits into the northern transportation network.

No price-tag has yet been determined for Whakuroute.

But the timing for the Whakuroute may be good- and, in fact, overdue, according to many Crees.

The Crees’ billion-dollar 2001 Paix des Braves agreement with Quebec on economic development said then that a road should be built connecting Whapmagoostui “as soon as possible.”

Fighting climate change may also give this Arctic road project a boost.

With rising temperatures and melting permafrost, winter-only roads are now seen as less of an option than before.

And the Whakuroute could eventually pave the way for a power transmission line that would link Nunavik’s communities and eliminate the need for dirty, greenhouse-gas producing diesel-generators.

Quebec is also mounting a new drive to develop its north.

Quebec premier Jean Charest met with aboriginal leaders last week behind closed doors in Quebec City to discuss his “plan nord.”

This new northern plan would see improvements to transportation as well as more mining activity and more mega-hydro-electric projects in the North.

As part of this move to open and develop northern Quebec, a pre-feasibility plan for a road connected Kuujjuaq to the South is also in the works.