Canadian government kicks in $25 million for trails

The government of Canada is injecting $25 million into the construction of trail infrastructure across the country.

According to the Canadian Off-Highway Vehicle Distributors Council (COHV), new trail infrastructure provides a safe venue for a variety of trail users and creates a local economic development opportunity, particularly in rural and northern Canada.

“The National Trails Coalition was founded in 2007 in the belief that trail users and volunteer trail builders/managers can achieve much more by working collaboratively and supporting each other’s goals,” says Bob Ramsay, president of the COHV. “That is the spirit in which we developed and submitted United for a Stronger Trails System to the Government of Canada and the announced $25 million in federal funding will significantly increase the level of trail building in the coming year and it will create a heightened level of cooperation among trail user groups as they rally behind a common purpose.”

The responsible use of off-highway vehicles is of great interest to the COHV, its member manufacturers such as Arctic Cat, BRP (Can-Am), Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Polaris, Suzuki, Yamaha, their distributors and the not-for-profit ATV and Off-road motorcycle rider federations that have developed across the country.

COHV works closely with the national All-Terrain Quad Council of Canada (AQCC), the national Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada (MCC) and provincial ATV and off-road motorcycle rider federations to develop and expand core values through initiatives that offer solutions to concerns related to respecting private landowner properties, responsible environmental practices and rider safety and training.

“Our vision and that of our rider clubs and federations is one of a comprehensive linked, multiuse trail network developed through partnerships with all stakeholders,” says Ramsay.

“With health and physical fitness being top of mind for most families and for the health care system in Canada, we believe this is a great opportunity for all stakeholders to prove that being out on the trails, whether through non-motorized or motorized recreational use, is not only fun but contributes to individual and family well-being.