Members of the Southern Georgian Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Snowmobile Patrol have winterized their snow machines for another season. The 2020 – 2021 snowmobile season started and ended during the COVID-19 pandemic casting its effects on social activities and health upon area residents, cottagers, tourists and snowmobilers alike. This created a high number of snowmobilers on area trails in part due to the number of new to the sport enthusiasts and fewer riders trailering to northern Ontario destinations.
In anticipation of an increase in outdoor winter activity, the Snowmobile Patrol was provided with more staff to provide increased trail coverage during the week and weekends along with more evening shifts. The unit working in conjunction with uniform patrol officers in cars and joint patrols with other enforcement agencies to maximize our detachment resources providing a trail presence throughout our detachment area to provide outdoor enthusiasts the best on trail safety program possible. Officers provided 450 hours of on trail patrol, logging more than 5450 kilometers on their machines patrolling trails and ice surfaces policed by the detachment and responded to a variety of calls for service from December 2020 through to March 2021.
Officers were applauded by area snowmobile clubs for their dedication to trail safety while conducting 89 R.I.D.E. check stops checking and educating over 2500 riders for signs of impairment and warning 143 riders for non-serious violations. Sixty-six riders were cited for a variety of provincial offences along with 24 riders being cited for illegal exhaust systems and 8 riders were cited for trespassing offences.
Snowmobile operator safety educational efforts were supported by partnerships with safety minded educational committees and organizations such as the Mothers Against Drinking and Driving (MADD), Arrive Alive and the North Simcoe Safe and Sober Awareness Committee- https://www.instagram.com/p/CLKMnEMFQ9-/ These partnerships along with the amazing efforts of our media partners in TV, Radio and Newspaper and their social media platforms constantly reminded snowmobile riders to Never Drive Impaired on our area trails along with messaging No Ice is Safe Ice.
“I have regularly received positive comments from community members and area elected officials about detachment officers patrolling the trails to maintain the safety of all users. The results speak for themselves as we did not have any snowmobile related deaths on our land-based trails this season. Sadly although, we did lose three community members in two separate open water drowning incidents. I applaud those riders who whether new or experienced, enjoyed our trails safely and without incident and we look forward to seeing you next season.” Inspector Joseph Evans, Interim Detachment Commander