A rest area for road workers could soon see the light of day in Lac-Saint-Jean.
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It was Kim Lavertu, a former hairdresser, who imagined this concept valued at $2.5 million.
"It runs through my veins, I come from a family of truckers," said the 37-year-old entrepreneur, interviewed by TVA Nouvelles on Tuesday.
Ms. Lavertu, whose husband is a trucker, is convinced that her project would meet many needs.
“Every time I ride with my spouse, I get discouraged at how they go through all kinds of problems,” she said.
The lack of services and parking spaces for truckers in the region has been loudly denounced during the pandemic.
Even though businesses have resumed their operations, accessibility remains a challenge due to the labor shortage and the reduced opening hours of many businesses.
“My concept was designed and thought out based on the labor shortage,” she said.
His project is timely since Quebec is preparing to make the use of the electronic recording device for hours of work and rest mandatory for all heavy truck drivers.
"If they don't have places to rest, some truckers will find it difficult to stick to their 'log book,'" she explained.
Kim Lavertu agreed with an oil company to make the project a reality. She cannot reveal the company at this stage so as not to harm the ongoing process.
If the funding is there, it is sure to be able to begin construction of the first rest area in Lac-Saint-Jean in the spring of 2023.
Ms. Lavertu said she had requested a meeting with her MP Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister responsible for the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.
She hopes that a meeting with Minister Laforêt will allow her to export her project to other regions of Quebec.