How tiny St. Marys is trying to fix a growing problem with snowmobilers

Officials in the town of St. Marys say community growth and an increase in outdoor activity due to COVID restrictions, have put snowmobilers and pedestrians on a potential collision course, and they've launched a new education and enforcement plan to get ahead of the problem before an accident happens. 

The plan is a collaboration between the town, Stratford Police Services, which handles policing in the community, as well as local snowmobile clubs. 

It's focused on addressing growing complaints about snowmobiling on private property and in areas designated for pedestrians. 

"Back when the pandemic started, there wasn't a whole lot that people could do and snowmobile trails were opened, so it was a great opportunity for those to get out and do something," said Const. Aaron Mounfield, the Stratford Police Services community resource officer in St. Marys.  

Since the pandemic began, Mounfield said, complaints about snowmobilers have doubled, including reports of snowmobilers using multi-use trails to make their way to areas where snowmobiling is permitted. 

The plan includes multimedia and social media outreach, as well as increased signage to mark restricted areas. Police will also be stepping up enforcement to prevent accidents, including handing out more tickets for trespassing and doing more sobriety and document checks, said Mounfield.   

A Changing Community 

The population of St. Marys is growing, which has contributed to an increase in community complaints about snowmobilers, said Mayor Al Strathdee. 

"You have new development areas, where traditionally there were open fields, and snowmobiles were allowed to go through," he said. "I mean, they were on people's property, but you know, they've done it for years. And part of the issue is that some of the areas that people have used as pathways before, are now becoming residential neighbourhoods."

Communication and education, he believes, are key to reducing the likelihood of an accident. 

"It's a three-pronged component of social media, education and engagement," said Strathdee. "And then it's also looking at traffic patterns and a way to accommodate snowmobiles and be safe for everyone." 

There have been no injuries from snowmobile collisions reported this year in St. Marys.