MINTO – A report on a proposed bylaw to allow use of off-road vehicles (ORVs) on municipal roads is expected to be on the agenda for the April 6 town council meeting.
Councillor Mark MacKenzie asked on March 2 about progress on the proposed bylaw.
“I’ve been asked to ask about the status,” said MacKenzie.
As of Jan. 1, all municipalities listed in Ontario Regulations 8/03 must pass a bylaw in order to prohibit or restrict ORV use.
However, the Town of Minto is not listed in Ontario Regulation 8/03, and so the town would need to pass a bylaw in order to both allow ORVs and regulate their use.
Minto’s status as a town, rather than a township, is the reason it is not included under the provincial regulation, which also automatically includes counties.
The Town of Erin is the only other municipality in Wellington County not listed in the provincial regulation.
In November, Minto council directed staff to prepare a report on the subject, after a request from a group of local citizens to consider allowing ORVs on municipal roads.
CAO Derek Thompson noted ORV use was discussed the previous week at a meeting of Wellington County municipal officials
“As you can imagine there was varying differences of opinion on what would take place,” said Thomson.
He added Minto staff are “working through some of the public input that we’ve received and also talking to Wellington North and Mapleton to make sure that were consistent across the northern part of county.”
Thompson said he anticipates a staff report will be presented at the first council meeting in April.
“We want to get it done, councillor MacKenzie, before the season hits us,” said Mayor George Bridge.
Councillor Judy Dirksen asked if the report would include information on municipalities outside Wellington County that also border on Minto.
“We’ve covered those bases,” said Thomson.
