NEWS RELEASE
TIMMINS POLICE SERVICE
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The Timmins Police Service is issuing a public advisory to area snowmobilers who operate any snowmobile with an altered or modified exhaust system as this constitutes an offence under the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act (MSVA), section 18(2) which carries a $110 fine.
The Timmins Police Service is in receipt of complaints of this nature once again this year.
Timmins Police Service - Traffic Section officers will be attending at varied locations within the city of Timmins and in the vicinity of the hamlet of Porcupine as an enforcement initiative to address this chronic and persistent issue.
The local snowmobile club has been made aware of this undertaking as well.
Landowners, who generously allow for their land to be used for snowmobile trail usage in collaboration with the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) are quite often the aggrieved parties in these circumstances.
The Timmins Police is well aware that the local snowmobile trail system is not yet open for the 2021 season but feel it necessary to issue this public advisory as in an effort to address those snowmobile operators who choose to engage in this type of infraction.
The Timmins Police Service wish to remind all snowmobilers to ride responsibly and in full compliance of the pertinent statutes that apply, be it the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act or the Trespass to Property Act.
Excessive noise and flagrant trespassing by irresponsible snowmobile operators is chronically problematic for private property landowners and law enforcement officials as well.
A small but persistent cross section of area snowmobilers commonly choose to replace the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) exhaust component, in exchange for an aftermarket product that speculatively offers a marginal increase in horsepower.
Simply put, these aftermarket components do not adequately suppress or muffle exhaust noise.
Be it the perceived need for extra horsepower or attention seeking behaviour, these aftermarket modifications are in direct conflict with the specific section of the MSVA that applies to mufflers.
The basic premise, that is lost on some, is that stock or OEM mufflers are designed to complete the task of effectively lessening or muffling the snowmobile’s exhaust noise.
Aftermarket products entice younger snowmobile operators with spurious claims of providing weight savings and marginal horsepower gains.
This resulting noise created is the crux of the issue at hand. It is also noteworthy that these modifications, with prolonged use, can negatively affect the overall performance of the modified snowmobile.
The Timmins Police Service note that statutory exceptions exist exclusively in regards to the use of such devices in sanctioned racing events.
The applicable charge under the Motorized Snow Vehicle Act for modifying, altering, or changing the exhaust or muffler on any snowmobile carries a significant fine and potential removal from the trail system.
Snowmobiling is a winter sport that must be enjoyed responsibly.
The Timmins Police Service will be monitoring key area identified to them as area where these offences are being committed in an effort to remedy the situation.
Those operators found to be in violation of the MSVA will be subject to the full extent of the law.
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