Northern sledders gearing up for a busy season
Dealers and snowmobile clubs in northern Ontario say people are eager to get aboard their machines and hit the trails if early sales are any indication.
One recreational equipment store in Timmins said despite global supply issues, sales are strong so far this fall with new and returning enthusiasts eager for the season to start.
"Snow's falling, everybody's excited. Sales have been fantastic. Machines are leaving as fast as we can get them in ... everybody's looking ahead, getting prepared, getting ready, "said Evan Colameco, of Mikey’s Sales and Repair.
And, there’s a new toy for sledders this winter. The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs is integrating live trail data with a navigation app from Bombardier Recreational Products, the company behind Ski-Doo.
"It's a collaborative agreement to allow whatever you see on the 'Interactive Trail Guide,' the ITG, on the OFSC side. It'll also be displayed on those various offerings from that company as it allows more people to have access to that information, as it gets updated," said Patrick Dzijacky, of the Timmins Snowmobile Club.
The OFSC still has a major problem with a small number of individuals who choose to ride on private land that’s not approved for sledding.
Agencies in the industry have launched a new campaign asking snowmobilers to follow the rules on trails with a pledge.
"We are losing trails, we're losing landowners because folks are riding off-trail. It could be as simple as a two to three-metre detour to get snow in their sleds or it could be driving across a farmer's winter wheat and destroying their crops," said Ryan Eickmeier, of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs.
The problem could affect other law-abiding sledders,Dzijacky said.
"If we lose some of these landowner agreements, trail connections to Cochrane or Iroquois Falls could be lost," he added.
He recommends sledders read up on the rules for trails and streets or contact a local club for more information.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.