(MIDLAND,ON) – Riders on the local Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) trails may have noticed the presence of the OPP Central Region snowmobile patrol making the rounds during the weekend January 25-26, 2025 helping to keep the trails safe for all riders.
Officers on sleds logged over 24 hours of patrol checking over 125 snowmobilers for equipment, required licences, registration and trail passes where applicable. Officers also conducted two separate reduce impaired driving everywhere (R.I.D.E.) programs checking over 40 snowmobilers for signs of impairment in an effort to maintain trail safety.
With a balance between rider education and enforcement in mind, officers deal with issues found on the trails on a daily basis under some extreme weather conditions and welcome your cooperation on the many trails here in North Simcoe.
- Seventy three riders were warned for a variety of Motorized Snow Vehicle Act (MSVA) offences which were predominantly failing to have a valid ownership permit on their snowmobile.
- Twenty five riders were charged with MSVA offences mostly for operating sleds with modified or improper exhaust systems
- two crashes were reported or investigated during this time frame with one investigation resulting in a number of MSVA tickets in including Careless Operation for a driver under the age of 16 years.
- officers note a proven fact that wearing a properly fastened helmet can help prevent serious injury or worse should you crash!
Another Did You Know (DYK) question asked almost daily since the start of the 2024-2025 snowmobile season is “can I get a ticket for cutting/modifying or changing out my exhaust system ultimately making the sled engine much louder than the stock system?
Short answer is YES, and upon conviction will cost you $110.00
A look into the Motorized Snow Vehicle Act https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90m44 reveals the following legislation.
Equipment requirements
Muffler in working order
18 (1) No person shall drive a motorized snow vehicle unless it is equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation and no person shall drive a motorized snow vehicle which has a muffler cut-out, straight exhaust, gutted muffler, hollywood muffler, by-pass or similar device upon the motorized snow vehicle. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.44, s. 18 (1).
Removing or modifying any component
(2) No person shall drive or permit to be driven any motorized snow vehicle upon which any component or device, which was required under the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada) at the time that the motorized snow vehicle was manufactured or imported into Canada, has been removed, modified or rendered inoperative. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.44, s. 18 (2).
Exception in racing area
(3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to a motorized snow vehicle while it is driven in a racing area sanctioned as such by the council of the municipality within which the racing area is located. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.44, s. 18 (3); 2002, c. 17, Sched. F, Table.
If you need to renew your snow vehicle registration you can visit a Service Ontario centre in person or visit the following site online https://cxp.mgcs.gov.on.ca/cxp-web/licence-plate-renewal/information.
Snowmobiling is a wonderful sport for most family members to enjoy the great outdoors, but sadly we have to attend incidents involving snowmobiles being operated by persons who are suspected of being impaired, or operating carelessly and are tasked with an investigation that will have long lasting effects on all involved, victims and emergency services personnel.
- Ride in control and to the trail conditions
- Obey the posted speed limit.
- Never, ever drive impaired
- No Ice is Safe Ice
Snowmobilers planning to head out on the OFSC trail system this weekend would be well advised to check on the following website link to ensure the trail is open for use – Snowmobiling Ontario
It also goes without saying that it is still early in the cold weather winter season for local ice conditions to be up to expectations for ice surface travel by foot or by machine. Always remember that, “No Ice Is Safe Ice” and to check the ice surface or inquire with local residents, ice hut operators, weather stations or any other reliable source before heading out and possibly going through into the frigid waters below. Ultimately, you may be risking your life, the lives of others possibly with you and that of emergency service responders tasked to rescue you, or worse to locate and remove you from the lake.
All drivers /riders/operators should be aware that the O.P.P. R.I.D.E. program checks are conducted 24/7 all year long. The OPP remains committed to taking alcohol/drug-impaired drivers off our roads & trails through enforcement and public education so riders can expect to see OPP officers on the trail system during day time & night time hours. Also, it can be expected that uniform road patrol officers will be conducting Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E.) programs at trail heads. The Detachment also works with area safety partners such as MADD Canada, Arrive Alive, The North Simcoe Safe and Sober Awareness Committee and area snowmobile clubs, Georgian Bay Snow Riders (GBSR) and the Baxter Snow Riders (BSR) and the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC).
The sport of snowmobiling has many associated inherent risks, dangers and hazards caused by the changing terrain & environment, your machine, and others on their machines to name a few. To help reduce these risks, riders are reminded to always check the Interactive Trail Guide before heading on the trails and wear all of the required safety equipment including floater suits if travelling on frozen water surfaces. It is highly recommended to have a fully charged cell phone with you, let a family member know where your heading to and a return time, load a location app on your cell phone such as What3Words and/or the Interactive Trail Guide and remember that “No Ice Is Safe Ice” . Self rescue maybe your only way out for reasons depicted in the following link – https://twitter.com/OPP_News/status/1342817627077488641
