As snowmobilers embrace what’s shaping up to be a stellar sledding season two years in a row, provincial police are reminding riders of the sport’s deadly downside.
“Tragically, seven people have died in snowmobile incidents in OPP jurisdictions since the beginning of the 2025-26 riding season,” an OPP news release said on Friday.
It added: “There were 15 such fatalities last season.”
Police, along with the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC), encourage riders to stick to groomed trails in the lead-up to next week’s annual Ontario Snowmobile Safety Week.
According to the OFSC’s online, province-wide trail map, the majority of the federation’s 30,000-kilometre trails network is open for riding.
Still, “snowmobilers are reminded that conditions can change quickly, making it especially important to plan each ride carefully and use the (federation’s trail map) before heading out,” an OFSC backgrounder says.
Police additionally advise sledders to avoid rivers, lakes and creeks.
“Travelling on frozen waterways comes with no guarantee ice is completely safe,” the OPP said in its news release. “The safest bet is to avoid frozen waterways altogether.”
Meanwhile, the federation has noted that maintaining a vast trail network doesn’t come cheap: the organization says it spent nearly $62 million on its network over the past three seasons. Trails are cleared and groomed by volunteers who are members of about 180 riding clubs across the province.
Though last season was considered a roaring success, providing nearly 20 weeks of groomed trail riding, it’s a different story when the snow doesn’t fly.
“Frankly, in this sport, snow sells,” the federation says. “When conditions are less favourable, there is a noticeable decline in (trail permit) sales.”
“As expenses have increased over the last five seasons, total permit revenue has decreased by approximately six per cent over the same period, creating further challenges,” the federation said.
The province came to the rescue last fall, committing nearly $5 million to the federation so that the trail network can be maintained at the full 30,000 km.
“This investment represents the first step in plans that will ensure the long-term sustainability of a trail network of this size in Ontario,” said an earlier OFSC news release.
