WINNIPEG -- The umbrella organization for the 53 clubs that maintain snowmobile trails across Manitoba is pushing to make a trail fee part of snowmobile registration.
Currently, to ride on the 12,000 km of snowmobile trails in the province, drivers need to purchase a Snopass for $150.
Snoman Incorporated would like to see all owners of registered snowmobiles pay the fee.
“We don’t like using the word mandatory, we use the word integration. We integrate the Snopass with the licence fee of the snowmobile,” said Alan Butler, president of Snoman.
Most of the money generated from the pass goes towards maintaining and grooming the trails.
“We’re just trying to maintain a viable snowmobile trail system in Manitoba,” said Butler. “If they’re buying a pass, you need to provide them a product, and that’s a good snowmobile trail.”
According to Butler, only 19,000 snowmobile owners bought a Snopass, a low number compared to the 35,000 snowmobiles registered in the province.
ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES
If the purposed change is made, snowmobile drivers caught using the trails without a Snopass could receive a $488 fine.
A picture of a Snopass (Source: Snoman)
To patrol the trails, a combination of RCMP and conservation officers would be used.
“On crown land conservation officers and on private land and other areas the RCMP,” said Butler
CHANGING THE LAWS
For the change to be effective, it must be passed by the provincial conservation ministry.
If the government does integrate the Snopass into registration fees, the system will mirror what Saskatchewan is currently doing.
The Association of Manitoba Municipalities put forth a motion of support to encourage the provincial government to make the change.
As for a timeline, “The sooner the better,” said Butler. “We’d like to see it happen before the start of the next season.”
EXEMPTIONS
Currently, trappers and commercial fisherman are exempt from buying the Snopass, and more exemptions could be on the way.
“When we negotiate with government we’re certainly prepared to look at exemptions to that,” said Butler.
Vintage sleds could also see a reduced rate, possibly 50 per cent less, like in other jurisdictions.
“One of the concerns is that people with older sleds don’t buy the snow pass because it’s 150 dollars, and the concern is, if they aren’t able to register their sled without buying the snow pass, they won’t register their sled.”
An exemption will also be given to residents of remote communities as long as the vehicle is operated in the remote community.
REASON FOR CHANGE
Butler said the reasons for the fee change are a lack of volunteers and an increase in maintenance costs.
“Clubs are having to pay groomer operators to operate machinery and in some cases, clubs are even having to pay people for signing,” said Butler.
Keeping the trails sustainable is very important to many rural businesses.
“A lot of rural community business would not be operating if not for the snowmobile trails,” said Butler
Butler alleged a lack of winter tourism in rural Manitoba forces businesses like restaurants and hotels rely on snowmobilers.
He said snowmobiling contributes $300 million to the economy annually and produces 900 jobs related to snowmobiling.
Snoman is hoping the purposed change would ensure the quality trails for the future.
