Traveling in the Basse-Côte-Nord Territory is not easy. Although about fifteen villages are scattered along the 500 km coastline, only six are connected by roads. This leaves around ten villages cut off from land routes for most of the year. It is only in winter, thanks to the White Road—a snowmobile trail—that all “Coasters” regain their independence. For these communities, it is a synonym for freedom. However, lakes and rivers are increasingly struggling to freeze due to climate change, which directly impacts the sustainability of this road of ice and snow. So, how can the Basse-Côte-Nord Territory be made more accessible?

Several interventions are necessary. First, the current route crosses many large bodies of water, making several sections of the road impassable for most of the year. Relocating the route of the White Road would allow it to be placed primarily on solid ground.

Second, for waterways that cannot be avoided, the construction of bridges is necessary. Two systems have been developed: truss bridges with a launching system capable of spanning distances of up to 48 meters, and floating bridges for longer crossings. Each of these systems would be made of prefabricated aluminum and designed to be assembled on-site with minimal tools, to facilitate both transportation and construction. Beyond permanently opening up the villages of the Basse-Côte-Nord Territory, this initiative also offers a promising tourism perspective: the panoramic circuit of the White Road. Whether by bike, cross-country ski, on foot, by all-terrain vehicle, or snowmobile, everyone would be able to discover the diverse landscapes and experiences the Basse-Côte-Nord Territory has to offer—year-round.

Third, the project also considers the development of tourist architecture, namely inns and observation pavilions. A base module was developed that can be repeated, clustered, and configured in multiple ways to adapt to each context. Like the bridges, these modules had to address transportability and assembly challenges; therefore, they would be prefabricated in factories, made of easy-to-install materials such as sandwich panels, and shipped in parts to be assembled on-site with minimal tools.

Fourth, considering the expected increase in traffic along the White Road, an update to the safety architecture of the shelters was necessary. The construction system would be the same as for the inn and pavilion modules. The shelters’ envelope would be red to ensure visibility, and inside, one would find the essentials for survival.

Ultimately, making the Basse-Côte-Nord Territory more accessible through the preservation and enhancement of the White Road would not only benefit the daily lives of “Coasters,” but also contribute to the development of this too-often-forgotten region of Quebec.