New Brunswick’s Ended FQCQ Agreement

New Brunswick riders planning a Quebec trip may remember when a QuadNB trail permit could be used under an agreement with the FQCQ. That arrangement ended, so an old assumption about reciprocity can leave you without the right trail access. Here’s what changed, what a New Brunswick permit does and doesn’t cover, and how to check what you need before crossing the border.

What the FQCQ agreement covered and why its end matters

The FQCQ, or Fédération québécoise des clubs quads, is associated with Quebec’s organized quad-trail network. New Brunswick’s agreement with the FQCQ once provided a form of trail-permit reciprocity between the provinces. The agreement ended in May 2023.

For riders, the practical consequence is straightforward: do not assume a New Brunswick trail permit will be accepted for riding on Quebec club trails. Nor should a Quebec permit be assumed to provide access to New Brunswick club trails. Without a current agreement that applies to your trip, plan to meet the permit requirements of the province where you intend to ride.

This is about trail access, not whether your machine is registered. New Brunswick vehicle registration and a trail permit serve different purposes. Registration identifies the machine and is part of the province’s requirements for operating it. A trail permit relates to access to a managed trail network. Having one does not automatically replace the other. For the New Brunswick side of the rules, see New Brunswick ORV Registration Explained and New Brunswick’s Groomed Trail Permit.

The end of reciprocity also doesn’t mean that a New Brunswick rider can’t ride in Quebec. It means you need to check the rules that apply to the route and network you want to use, and arrange any required Quebec trail authorization before riding. The same principle applies when a Quebec rider comes to New Brunswick: the visitor needs to confirm the requirements for the New Brunswick trails they plan to use.

Question	Practical answer
Does a New Brunswick trail permit automatically cover Quebec trails?	Don’t assume so. The former FQCQ arrangement ended in May 2023. Check current requirements for your destination.
Is a trail permit the same as vehicle registration?	No. Registration and trail access are separate matters.
Can a New Brunswick rider still ride in Quebec?	Yes, provided the rider meets the requirements for the trails being used.
Does one permit cover every trail in either province?	No. Trail ownership, network rules, local access and current closures can affect where you may ride.
Should you rely on an old sticker or past trip experience?	No. Confirm the current rules before setting out.

The safest interpretation is to treat the old agreement as historical, not as a standing travel privilege. A sticker that worked on a previous trip may not be enough now. Check directly with the relevant trail organization or club, and ask about the exact route and dates rather than relying on general advice about “riding in Quebec.”

What changed for New Brunswick riders going to Quebec

When reciprocity was in place, riders could have a simpler permit experience when travelling between the two networks. Once the arrangement ended, that shortcut was no longer something riders could rely on. If your destination is a Quebec club trail, find out whether a Quebec permit is required and how the responsible organization expects visitors to obtain it.

The key practical change is not complicated: a New Brunswick permit should be treated as a New Brunswick trail permit. It does not, by itself, establish that you have permission to ride on a Quebec-managed trail. For a more detailed explanation of the change, see May 2023 and What It Meant and Why the Quebec Deal Ended.

That distinction matters because a border crossing is not the only thing that determines access. Your route may use several kinds of land or trail, and different rules can apply along the way. A club trail, a road, a private woods road and a public area may not share the same access conditions. A permit for one network does not necessarily authorize every segment you encounter.

Before your trip, work out:

• Which specific trail network or club corridor you plan to ride.
• Which organization is responsible for that trail.
• What permit or proof of authorization is required for your machine and trip.
• Whether the permit must be bought before you arrive or can be obtained locally.
• Whether there are seasonal closures, special conditions or temporary reroutes.
• What documents, insurance and equipment you need to carry while riding.

Do not interpret “reciprocity ended” as meaning every Quebec trail has one identical rule. The responsible club or network can tell you what applies to its trails. If the trip involves more than one club area, confirm whether one authorization covers the whole planned route or whether separate requirements apply.

A useful rule of thumb is to confirm the destination’s requirement first, then check whether your intended route stays within that network. If the trail map takes you into another club’s area, ask whether that area has the same access conditions. When in doubt, treat a change in network as a reason to check again.

How to prepare for a Quebec ride

Planning the permit is easiest before you load the machine. You can then resolve questions about access, registration and insurance without trying to sort them out at a trailhead. Use this sequence as a starting point, and confirm the current details with the relevant Quebec club or organization.

1. Choose the actual trail area. Identify the trailhead, destination and likely route. A province name alone is too broad to confirm access.
2. Find the responsible organization. Use official trail-network or club information to identify who manages the trail you want to ride.
3. Ask about visitor permits. Explain that you are travelling from New Brunswick and ask which permit is required, where to obtain it and whether it applies to your dates and route.
4. Confirm what the permit covers. Ask whether it applies to the machine you are bringing, the specific trail system and any connected club corridors.
5. Check machine documents separately. Confirm that your registration, insurance and any required proof are in order for the trip. A trail permit does not replace those documents.
6. Save proof and instructions. Keep the permit confirmation and relevant contact details available, and carry required documents in the manner the applicable rules allow.
7. Check conditions before departure. Look for closures, reroutes and access notices close to the ride date. A valid permit cannot make a closed trail available.

Buying a permit and being ready to ride are separate steps. A visitor may still need to meet rules about the machine, insurance, safety equipment, operator qualifications or trail conduct. Ask the club what it expects visitors to carry and whether the permit needs to be displayed on the machine.

If you are travelling with a group, don’t assume one person’s permit covers the others or that a guide’s membership takes care of every rider. Confirm the requirements for each machine and each rider. A club or operator may be able to explain the process, but the rider is responsible for arriving with the required authorization.

Keep registration paperwork distinct from trail-permit proof. If an officer or trail representative asks for documents, having the right paper for one purpose may not satisfy another. New Brunswick riders can review New Brunswick Documents You Must Carry and Four Things to Carry on a New Brunswick Trail to prepare for the New Brunswick part of their trip. For Quebec, ask the destination organization which documents it expects.

Reciprocity, registration and insurance are different

Confusion often starts when riders use “permit” to mean several different things. In practice, there are at least three separate questions:

• Is the machine registered as required?
• Is the machine properly insured for the planned use?
• Is the rider authorized to use the trail network?

The end of the FQCQ agreement concerns trail-permit reciprocity. It does not, by itself, cancel a New Brunswick registration or change what the registration certificate proves. It also does not settle whether a policy provides coverage in Quebec. Those questions should be checked with the appropriate agency, trail organization or insurer.

Item	What it generally relates to	What it does not automatically prove
Vehicle registration	The machine’s registration status under applicable rules	Permission to use every club trail
Insurance	Financial protection under the policy’s terms and applicable requirements	Trail-permit validity or access
Trail permit	Authorization associated with a particular trail system or network	Registration, insurance or access to unrelated land
Trail map or route file	Route information and navigation	Legal permission to ride the route

For insurance, don’t rely on the fact that a policy was valid for a ride in New Brunswick. Call the insurer and describe the trip, the machine, the type of trail and any planned road use. Ask whether the policy applies in Quebec and whether any exclusions or conditions could matter. Check New Brunswick Insurance Requirements for Riders for the New Brunswick rules, but treat the destination’s requirements and your policy wording as separate questions.

Also remember that a trail permit is not a general land-access pass. A route may cross private property, have seasonal limits or be closed to certain types of use. If you are riding outside a managed club network, seek permission and confirm the applicable rules rather than assuming that a permit sticker settles access.

For the same reason, a permit from Quebec should not be treated as a substitute for a New Brunswick permit when you return to ride New Brunswick club trails. Check the requirements for the network you are actually using. The wider rules and permit choices are covered in New Brunswick Riders Visiting Quebec and New Brunswick Reciprocity With Nova Scotia, which can help clarify how destination-specific these arrangements are.

Mistakes to avoid before crossing the border

The most common mistake is treating a past arrangement as a permanent rule. A rider might remember using one sticker on an earlier trip, hear that “the provinces have an agreement,” or get advice from someone who travelled before the arrangement ended. Those memories are not reliable proof of current access.

Avoid these assumptions:

• “My New Brunswick sticker worked before, so it will work again.” The former FQCQ agreement ended. Confirm current requirements rather than relying on past acceptance.
• “My machine is registered, so I can ride the trail.” Registration and trail permission are different.
• “The Quebec permit covers every place I might ride.” Check which trails and club areas it applies to.
• “A map shows the route, so the route is open.” Maps help with navigation but may not reflect current closures or access changes.
• “The permit can be sorted out after I arrive.” That may not be possible or convenient. Check how visitors are expected to obtain it.
• “Insurance for New Brunswick automatically covers every Quebec activity.” Ask your insurer about the specific trip and use.
• “The group leader has it covered.” Verify the requirement for each machine and rider.

Another avoidable problem is planning a route that crosses a boundary without checking what happens next. A trail may connect to another club’s corridor, a road or a different land manager’s property. Before riding, identify where the authorized network ends and what rules apply beyond that point. If the route changes, stop and confirm rather than following an unverified track.

Do not use an old sticker, expired permit or old map as your only evidence of permission. Keep current proof in the form the relevant organization requires. If you have questions, get the answer from the organization responsible for the destination trail, ideally before travel. For route files and navigation planning, see New Brunswick Trail Maps and the MapGear App, while remembering that navigation tools do not grant access.

If you are unsure whether a reciprocal arrangement has been reinstated or replaced, ask directly. A club can tell you what its trail system currently accepts; the FQCQ or the relevant Quebec organization can clarify the rules for its network. Avoid relying on informal claims without a date or a clear description of which trails they concern.

A practical checklist for visitors from New Brunswick

Before leaving, make sure you can answer these questions clearly:

• Which Quebec trail network or club area am I riding?
• Who manages the trails on my planned route?
• What visitor permit do I need, and how do I obtain it?
• Does that permit cover every club area on the route?
• Are the trails open for my planned dates?
• Is my machine registration current and appropriate for the trip?
• Does my insurance cover the planned riding in Quebec?
• What proof, safety equipment or other documents must I carry?
• Do I have current maps and a plan for closures or reroutes?
• Have I confirmed the details with an official trail organization?

If you cannot answer the permit question, pause the trip planning and contact the destination organization. It is easier to change a route or obtain the right authorization before departure than to discover at a trailhead that your New Brunswick permit is not accepted.

The agreement’s end is best understood as a reason to verify access, not as a barrier to riding. New Brunswick riders can still plan trips in Quebec, but they should treat the Quebec trail system as having its own requirements unless a current, clearly applicable agreement says otherwise. A few checks before travel can prevent a wasted drive, an unplanned detour or riding without the authorization the trail requires.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the FQCQ agreement with New Brunswick still in effect?

The former reciprocity agreement ended in May 2023. Don’t rely on it for a current ride. Confirm permit requirements with the Quebec organization responsible for your destination trails.

Does a New Brunswick trail permit work in Quebec?

Do not assume that it does. The agreement that provided reciprocity ended, so check whether a Quebec trail permit is required for your route.

Does a Quebec trail permit replace New Brunswick registration?

No. Trail access and machine registration are separate. A trail permit should not be treated as proof that the machine meets registration or insurance requirements.

Can I ride a Quebec trail without a Quebec permit?

Only if the responsible organization confirms that no permit is required for that specific trail and use. Check before riding rather than relying on an old agreement or a past trip.

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Laws, prices and regulations vary by location and change over time. Consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.