Whereas the Off-Road Vehicle ORV Act was intended to create safe and more convenient incidental access to public roads and highways to better connect BCs rural communities and support a first-rate ORV trail network, and to allow local governments to expand their trail networks to take advantage of economic development opportunities by way of tourism; And whereas the current administrative process to obtain Operation Permits as permitted under the ORV Act is onerous and not conducive to convenient incidental access to trail networks connecting multiple communities as a separate operation permit must be obtained from each jurisdiction: Therefore be it resolved that the following changes to legislation are made: - Only one 1 Operation Permit required for approved access to multiple jurisdictions andor communities along a connecting designated ORV route and trail network issued in any of the jurisdictions or communities along the route. - Operation Permits can be issued by any local RCMP or local government along a designated route. - Operation Permit term extended from 2 years to 5 years to align with the drivers licence term.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development The ORV Management Framework promotes the safe and responsible use of Off-Road Vehicles ORV on Crown land including resource roads under the Off-Road Vehicle ORV Act and provides more convenient incidental access to highways by ORVs to promote tourism. Changes to highway laws have involved amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations MVAR, Division 24. The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development FLNRORD is currently seeking support from other ministries responsible for the Motor Vehicle Act, the Insurance Corporation of BC ICBC and policing services in order to further amend the MVAR, Division 24; specifically, to address the following two highway ORV access scenarios which require different ICBC Basic Insurance products: 1. Improve incidental access to highways for Crown land trail systems by further simplifying the process for police-issued operation permit as described in UBCMs resolution; and 2. Seeking support for ICBC to develop a new Basic Insurance product to support increased access to municipal streets by ORVs; this would require select rural communities to be designated pilot projects, similar to golf carts on roads in Chase. UBCM is encouraged to continue to liaise with FLNRORD ministry staff responsible for the ORV framework. UBCMs ORV Local Government Working Group has been re-engaged to ensure a common approach when engaging the Province. FLNRORD is pleased to hear that this group includes participation from rural communities impacted by the downturn in forestry and who are seeking to expand their local economy by promoting ORV tourism.