Local OPP laid more than 60 snowmobile-related charges in Collingwood and The Blue Mountains (TBM) in under three months this winter.
According to acting Inspector Chris Maecker, snowmobiling has increased in popularity, since it was one of a few activities permitted during the latest province-wide shutdown.
“We’ve seen a real spike in snowmobilers in Collingwood and The Blue Mountains,” Maecker told the Police Services Board during a joint meeting between Collingwood and TBM this morning.
Between December and Feb. 20, Collingwood and TBM OPP together with provincial SAVE teams laid 48 snowmobile-related charges in Collingwood and 21 charges in The Blue Mountains.
SAVE stands for snow vehicle, all-terrain vehicle and vessel enforcement.
“We’ve really put a strong commitment forward to ensuring safe trails,” said Maecker. “Our biggest problem is when there’s a heavy snowfall and we have riders just heading out on trails that aren’t even open.”
The charges laid ranged from speeding, trespassing, equipment violations, and failure to produce the necessary documentation required of snowmobilers in Ontario.
According to the acting inspector’s report, the OPP and SAVE teams put in 128 hours of dedicated patrol time in Collingwood and 87 hours in The Blue Mountains.
Collingwood CAO Sonya Skinner commended local police and SAVE team members for their response this year.
“OPP really responded exceptionally well this winter … to the snowmobile concerns that were raised by a number of council members and the police services board,” she said.
