MANITOULIN—Early last week members of the Manitoulin Snowdusters voiced their disappointment and concern that the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) were closing snowmobile trails on Western Manitoulin Island and other areas of the province due to the OFSC having lost a substantial amount of money for the second consecutive year. However, by last Friday the news had changed for the better.
“It is great news,” stated Darren Dewar, president of the Snowdusters, to the OFSC news that thanks to an investment from the Ontario government, all trails that had been proposed to be closed this season will be retained and open for the season.“I received an email from the OFSC that the government had released a funding announcement of $4.9 million toward infrastructure and operations so the OFSC is not in the red going into the season,” said Mr. Dewar.
The OFSC posted on its media page late last week, “Breaking news: full OFSC trail network to be restored thanks to historic $4.9 million investment by the government of Ontario.”
“The OFSC is thrilled to share great news for organized snowmobiling in Ontario,” the OFSC announced. “Thanks to a historic $4.9 million investment by the government of Ontario ($3.9 million in new funding $1 million in infrastructure funding already allocated), Ontario’s snowmobile trail network can be restored in full for the 2025-2026 season, as it was at the end of last season (30,000 plus kilometres of trails in Ontario). This investment reflects the importance of our system to communities, the economic impact of our trails, and the tremendous effort that has gone into ensuring snowmobiling remains a cornerstone of winter in this province. Looking beyond this season, this investment represents the first steps in plans that will ensure the long-term sustainability of a trail network of this size in Ontario.”
Prior to the funding announcement by OFSC late last week, the Manitoulin Snowdusters had indicated trails on Western Manitoulin, from Poplar Road west were slated by the OFSC to be closed. Province-wide, the OFSC had decided (until the funding news last week) to eliminate some of the trails in its system as it had lost money in 2024 (over $1 million), for the second consecutive year. The OFSC had been looking at reducing the trails from 30,000 kilometres last year to about 25,500 this year.
Mr. Dewar noted 2023 was a bust for snowmobiling across the province due to poor snowmobiling weather conditions. He noted another district snowmobile club in Ontario was going to be completely shut down due to the originally proposed cuts to trails.
“When I had received the news in mid to late summer that the trails from Poplar Road would be closed I wasn’t too pleased and I met with the OFSC and told them no one was happy with the decision,” said Mr. Dewar. He said any shutdown of trails has effects on more than the Snowdusters, noting that restaurants like Stop 540 in Silver Water are affected, and volunteers help the club put on an annually very successful fish fry every year in Silver Water that supports the trails remaining open on the West End of the Island. He said the fish fry generates more than what is needed for fuel and labour costs in getting the trails groomed on the West End of the Island.
Mr. Dewar noted trail permits have not been increased by the OFSC for this season. He said the Snowdusters will now have to work on getting all landowner permits in place on western Manitoulin for the trails again this season, and once there is enough snow on the ground groomers will be out getting the trails ready he said, adding this should take place before Christmas.
“Over the next few weeks, clubs will be hard at work doing trail prep, signage, pre-season maintenance on grooming equipment, and securing land use permissions. The OFSC interactive trail guide will update in real-time as land-use permissions are secured for entire trail segments,” reported the OFSC.
Snowmobiling in Ontario runs on three things: volunteers, landowners and permit revenue. Contact your club to volunteer, respect our landowners and buy a permit. Working together the future of snowmobiling in Ontario is strong.”
