WHEREAS the Province of Alberta regulates the operation of off-highway vehicles under the Traffic Safety Act, Chapter T-6, RSA 2000; andWHEREAS there is a need to establish a province-wide approach to managing and funding off-highway vehicle recreation initiatives which includes the development of trails or setting aside of areas designed for safe and responsible off-highway vehicle use;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the AAMDC urge the province to establish a provincial committee to manage and provide funding to off-highway vehicle recreation initiatives.

Use of off-highway vehicles as a recreational pursuit has increased dramatically in the past few years. So has the need for additional trails and areas set aside specifically for off-highway vehicle use. Due to a lack of specific areas for off-highway vehicle activity users have taken to using public and private lands often without permission to do so. Conflict between users and local land owners occurs frequently. Municipalities are called upon by residents to pass bylaws to control off-highway vehicle activity.By establishing a Stakeholders’ Committee to manage and fund off-highway vehicle recreation initiatives, the province will highlight the importance of this issue and provide a forum to encourage more responsible use of off-highway vehicles. The committee could become involved in a public engagement process working with OHV users and non users to determine what trail networks or access corridors are needed in the province. Resources could then be set aside to help the committee manage any proposals brought forward for OHV recreation areas and/or trails.

The AAMDC has no current resolutions directly related to this issue. However, Resolution 3-06F deals with recreation corridors and asks the province to leave the matter of allowing recreational corridors to local municipal development processes.See also the Fall 2008 resolutions Review of Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement on Public Lands, Review of Off-Highway Vehicle Legislation and Review of Off-Highway Vehicle Safety Program.