OPP patrol over 100 km of snowmobile trails, issue 23 provincial notices in 2 days

An OPP officer on a snowmobile.

Despite chilly temperatures that kept many indoors, Southern Georgian Bay police officers were out in full force this past weekend, patrolling hundreds of kilometres of snowmobile trails.

Officers covered more than 100 kilometres of Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs trails spanning all five municipalities within the North Simcoe area.

As a result of the enforcement efforts, police say they issued 23 Provincial Offence Notices for offences including speeding, trail pass violations, and permit-related issues. Another 34 warnings were handed out to riders.

Officials say no snowmobile collisions were reported anywhere in North Simcoe during the patrol period.

Police are also reminding riders to be careful when travelling on groomed trails and frozen waterways, especially during extreme cold. Snowmobilers are encouraged by police to carry a fully charged cellphone and use a location-based app such as What3Words to assist emergency responders if help is needed.

Police say enforcement and education remain key parts of its mandate, with the ongoing goal of preventing serious injuries and fatalities on trails.