The owner of the Mont Cascades ski resort in west Quebec plans to expand the facility on all sides of the mountain to become a mini Mont-Tremblant in five to 10 years.

Rick Hunter, who owns Mont Cascades Ski Resort, says the rest of the mountain is ripe for development. (CBC News) Mont Cascades in Cantley opened to skiers in 1971 and it also operates an outdoor waterslide park during the summer.

Proponents of the expansion say being so close to Ottawa makes it the ideal location to build a world-class, four-season resort.

"You come back to the Gaitneau [Hills] and is there a nicer place on the planet? And the answer would be no," said Mont Cascades owner Rick Hunter. "And we all love it, and we all want to take care of it, and that's where my head's at."

Hunter also owns Pro Slide, one of the world's largest manufacturers of waterslides. Since buying Mont Cascades in 1990, Hunter has been buying up land around the mountain.

He said his resort is ripe for expansion, considering only the north and east side are now developed. The plan is to include hundreds of condominiums and some retail stores.

Next year Hunter will add a $2 million quad chair lift, and other plans include adding more runs, better snow-making technologies and more.

Madeleine Brunette, the mayor of Cantley, said the area slated for development is zoned recreational-tourist, so her council approved the expansion.

Brunette said Hunter's plan will create the potential for 600 condos and 900 jobs, and that it's good for the region.