Hydro ready cottages for its employees

Nicolas Lachance

Tuesday, 26 September, 2017 00:01

UPDATE
Tuesday, 26 September, 2017 00:01

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Hydro-Québec offers free of charge to employees and executives of stays in chalets that are located on some of the most beautiful sites of hunting and fishing of the province, and this, without declaring these gifts to Revenu Québec, learned The Newspaper.

The State company is the owner of eight houses used to accommodate employees who work the maintenance of the dams in the Mauricie, or Quick-White, to the Gouin reservoir, the reservoir Manawan and lake Bull.

However, these type dwellings chalet also serve as a place of pleasure for the lucky few who invite families and friends to come and relax and have a rest. Hydro-Quebec recognizes that this situation continues for 40 years and has never been declared to Revenu Québec, while it is a taxable benefit.

Full of activities

Fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, all-terrain vehicles employees : employees of the corporation and their guests are having fun during holidays and vacations, and this, at the expense of taxpayers.

“Even last week, there was an employee with ten of his buddies,” said a source who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals.

“They come with their women and their children. They fish, ski-doo and have fun, ” explained one of the neighbors of these cottages.

During the high season, to reside in the cottages of these outfitters can cost between $ 100 and $ 150 a night per person.

“This is income less for us. It is the fault of Hydro, which leaves their employees to do it. The people who accompany them would be forced to sleep with us to enjoy places, ” reported the owner of one of the outfitters.

Private Club

The majority of the employees of Hydro-Québec interviewed by The Newspaper, such as line workers, were not aware of this practice. “We know the rumor “, they said.

According to our information, these people are mainly professionals from the region of the Mauricie region, such as engineers, inspectors of works and executives who would benefit from this service. They act as members of a private club. Moreover, employees can win trips thanks to social clubs, a source confirms trade union who knows some lucky ones who have had access to the residences.

There is a schedule of availability of houses on which these privileged few reserve their beaches during weekends and long holidays.

They would only have to pay the costs for their food and their travel. Some pay a guide to go hunting, ” says a manager at one of the outfitters.

During the stay, the electricity and the gas are of course provided by the Crown corporation.

Use of cabins for personal use

178 nights per year on average

8 houses properties of Hydro

Photo courtesy

Gouin reservoir : Hydro has 2 houses (total 8 rooms)

THE PRIVATE outfitters in the area are asking $ 2500 for 7 days with the hunting guide

Tank Manawan C : Hydro has 2 houses (total 6 rooms)

THE PRIVATE outfitters are asking about $ 1500 for a week in a chalet

Photo courtesy

Tank Bull : Hydro has 2 houses (total 6 rooms)

THE PRIVATE : lodges in the Lake-Bull ask about $ 550 for three days to a cottage for 6 people

Photo courtesy

White quick : Hydro has 2 ancestral houses (total 5 bedrooms)

THE PRIVATE outfitters in the area are asking 1800 $ for three nights for 4 people

An “unacceptable practice” that will be abandoned

The Crown corporation had not considered it necessary to declare these activities to Revenu Québec and claims to have put an end to the loans of the cottages as soon as she had received the call Log.

“This was not declared to Revenu Quebec to my knowledge of things. Not in a systematic way “, confessed Serge Abergel, the chief, public affairs and media at Hydro-Québec, on the pretext of not have found it necessary to do so, because it was ” a practice to occupy the field.”

However, the Crown corporation has told investigate and conduct audits in order to comply with the laws. “We are in the process of looking to see if there have been breaches, and laws that have not been met. If yes, what is it that one must do today to comply with any such regulation in place existing ? “

“It was investigated “

Hydro-Québec has admitted to the Newspaper that it was a practice “unacceptable” and that it intends to put an end to it.

“As soon as we got your questions, we investigated,” said the chief of public affairs. They had determined that these houses, when they are not used for the work, could in some cases be used for personal purposes by employees “in order to avoid acts of vandalism” in remote areas.

This decision has been taken there for many years, according to the conditions of the time.

“This is a decision of regional (Mauricie). It is a practice that dates back to longer ago than I could say. We look at 40 years of age at the rear. “

Not aware of it ?

The Crown corporation maintains that current senior management was not aware of this, but she is unable to say whether the leaders past have already got wind of this situation.

So, for the past 40 years, the management has never been informed of this practice ? “I speak to you for the direction here, in this moment,” said Mr. Abergel.