WHEREAS the existing legislation contained in the Motor Vehicle All Terrain Act does not provide local governments with the appropriate authority to regulate the licensing and operation of all terrain vehicles within municipal and regional district boundaries since the Motor Vehicle All Terrain Regulation applies to snowmobiles only; AND WHEREAS the threat to public safety is severe and the cost of damages to public and private property caused by all terrain vehicles is an extensive burden to local governments and taxpayers both within and outside local government boundaries: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of British Columbia Municipalities lobby the Minister of Community Services, the Minister of Transportation, the Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, and the Minister of Agriculture and Lands to support a regulation amendment to the Motor Vehicle All Terrain Act Regulations to expand the definition of all terrain vehicles to include two-wheel, three-wheel and four-wheel recreational vehicles and all other all terrain vehicles, in order to ensure that local governments are able to regulate or ban their use within municipal and regional district boundaries, to alleviate property damage and public safety concerns.
MINISTRY OF TOURISM, SPORT AND THE ARTS The Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts TSA is aware of the complex inter-jurisdictional issues regarding Off-Road Vehicles ORVs in British Columbia. It is sensitive to the long history of ORV concerns in the Province of British Columbia and the challenges faced by municipalities and regional districts as the popularity of this recreational sector continues to grow. The Forests and Range Practices Act Bill 18 has been amended to penalize riders damaging sensitive Crown lands while the Recreation, Sites, and Trails Branch of TSA is actively engaged in developing a Recreation Trails Strategy which includes ORVs. Cabinet has directed the Minister of TSA to further analyze financial costs, rural impacts and best practices for implementation of an anticipated regulatory framework. TSA will continue to liaise with the Coalition for Licensing and Registration of Off-Road Vehicles in British Columbia, its partners as well as other community groups impacted by ORVs as we develop the anticipated, new regulatory framework for ORVs.