“There are thousands of All Terrain Vehicles on PEI but the current government has
no plan in place to support the PEI ATV Federation in building safe places to ride, get fuel, and
access restaurants and accommodations” stated Prince Edward Island Progressive
Conservative Leadership candidate Brad Trivers.
“As PC leader and future Premier of PEI, I will
work closely with the PEI ATV Federation and associated clubs to ensure the safety of
Islanders, maintenance and protection of public and private infrastructure, and realize the
significant potential ATV’s have to grow our tourism economy – especially in the fall and winter
seasons.”
The PEI ATV Federation has taken the lead to build hundreds of kilometers of private trails
across PEI, put a master insurance policy in place, register ATVs and provide peer policing of
ATV use. The Federation is considering a youth education program to foster responsible ATV
drivers from an early age.
“Our association requires safe and legal places to enjoy our sport. Our members pay
registration and sales tax on their ATVs. We need more enforcement, more legal trails, and a
funding source to maintain and grow our $19.2 million sport. We are missing out on a huge
opportunity other provinces are benefiting from.”, noted Peter Mellish acting president of the PEI
ATV Federation.
“Islanders are innovative problem solvers, and are stepping up to the plate to solve the
problems related to ATVs, so that ATV use can positively benefit all Islanders”, says Trivers,
“Government has ignored ATV’s for many years. I believe in working hard to make progress,
and as Progressive Conservative leader and next Premier of Prince Edward Island, I will work
with all Islanders to make real, meaningful progress.”
As a person who travels to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to use their magnificent fire road and trail systems, I do see some of your points. However, are you claiming Off Pavement Vehicles are a $19.2 million sport here on PEI? If so, that surprised me; how is that figure generated?
For myself, I’d like to see our current trail system support not only snowmobiles during the winter, but also the emerging electric bicycle industry after the snow melts. Seniors, like myself, could access the trails much easier on electric bicycles if there were charging stations along the way. Given the proximity to existing power lines, I doubt it would be that difficult. And, making the trails electric bicycle friendly may also be great for tourism.
But, for the love of god, keep the internal combustion engines off our trails when people walk and peddle bike on them. And, that includes mine!
Yes – I believe Peter Mellish is claiming ATV’s are a $19.2 million dollar sport here. I’ll have to ask him how he got the number.
Great idea to include electric bicycles and charging stations. Something to look into.
Yes – no plans to put internal combustion engine vehicles on the Confederation Trail. The PEI ATV Federation wants support to help them in their initiatives to build private trails. [Note that I hope electric ATV’s to grow in popularity but no plans to allow them on the Confederation Trail at this point.]
I’d be more inclined to support this if I could find a well used ATV trail that isn’t a disaster for the environment and a degraded outdoor opportunity for others. Look at NB, massive erosion challenges on their trails that get worse every year as the ATV’s get bigger. They have a large landscape but PEI has very limited natural areas and very erodible soils with no aggregate or cheap wood chips to help alleviate the damage. Easy to say it will be done right but almost impossible in reality here given long shoulder seasons of mud. We have more than enough silting of the watershed now.
I doubt there is anywhere close to a real $19 million contribution to this province, particularly when you consider the environmental and inevitable health care costs the public picks up. We’ve also seen ATV trail systems turned into a convenient access and escape routes for B and E crimes. No thanks.
There are about 19 million better things to encourage people to do on a small densely populated island than turning it into a recreational ATV mecca. Please stop trying to be everything to everybody and get back to basics, the debt is large enough.