signfan

Yep too much debt. New owners. Too bad.

Yep. The funding from the gov't has gotten smaller each year. Especially with inflation factored in.

What does OFSC get for giving up control of permits to MTO again? Some days you have to question if this decision should be looked at again. Yes it's a legal requirement, but with limited enforcement does it matter? I question if OFSC should consider 3 or 4 areas to implement limited snow making. Like a 50 km loop in the ganaraska forest. Or a similar area close to Barrie, London, Kitchener or Ottawa. Give it daily grooming and operate it similar to a ski hill. It'd provide that value to the southern riders. Would be interesting to see if it would be feasible ran as a test pilot in one area. The issue isn't permit prices. Snowmobilers have the money and let's be honest the permit is chump change compared to the other costs of the sport. The issue is perceived value for the money spent. Like it or not there are folks that just won't drive to the snow 4 - 8 hrs away. But they would trailer in their local area to ride all winter long. I spent $1000 on night passes for skiing last winter. Had no issue with the cost as I knew the hill would be open for 8 plus weeks and we would use them.

This idea has merit. July through October payment plan.

Have to take it back to the OFSC's core mission. Its core mission is to provide leadership and resources to member clubs, ensuring exceptional trails and riding experiences across the province. This club is highlighting a resource issue. Maybe going public isn't preferred, but some press highlighting issues the provincial organization and this particular club is facing isn't necessarily a terrible thing. I rode their trails this past winter and they we're doing a great job. Hopefully OFSC management views this as an opportunity to improve. Also an opportunity to find new sources of emergency funding. A state of emergency was declared in Orillia during the ice storm. That brings access to funding from senior levels of government. Why wouldn't repairing trail infrastructure qualify for help.

Convention is coming. The club also has a governor sitting on the provincial board.

Here is what google ai spitts out to the question are snowmobiles usmca compliant. Lord knows rules are changing daily. Time will tell. Yes, snowmobiles can be USMCA compliant goods. Specifically, sub-heading 8703.10 (snowmobiles) in the USMCA rules of origin allows for an RVC (Regional Value Content) of 50 percent using the net cost method or 60 percent using the transaction value method, according to a commentary from the C.D. Howe Institute. This means that if a snowmobile is produced with a certain percentage of regional value content (from the US, Canada, or Mexico), it can qualify for duty-free treatment under USMCA. Elaboration: USMCA and Rules of Origin: The USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) is a free trade agreement that aims to eliminate or reduce trade barriers between the three countries. A key aspect of USMCA is the "rules of origin," which determine whether a product is considered to be originating from a USMCA party and therefore eligible for duty-free treatment. Regional Value Content (RVC): One of the primary ways a product can qualify under USMCA is by meeting the RVC requirements, which specify the percentage of a product's value that must be derived from within the USMCA region (US, Canada, Mexico) to be considered originating. Snowmobiles and RVC: For snowmobiles, specifically under sub-heading 8703.10, the RVC requirement is relatively lenient compared to other automotive products. Producers can either meet a 50% RVC using the net cost method or a 60% RVC using the transaction value method. Duty-Free Treatment: If a snowmobile meets the applicable RVC requirements, it is considered to be originating from a USMCA party and is eligible for duty-free treatment when exported to the other USMCA partners. BRP's Compliance: Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), a major manufacturer of snowmobiles, has stated that the vast majority of their vehicles are produced in Canada and Mexico and are USMCA-compliant, meaning their shipments to the US are tariff-free.

I'm not cat guy, but this is great news for the sport. Competition breeds excellence. Cat has a gps gauge. Garmin makes it. It was released last year. Will be interesting to see if they sort out a way to put a 4 stroke in the Cayalyst chassis and if so if it will be a Yamaha powerplant or not. What they released for 2026 makes a lot of sense. They might pick up some Yamaha customers and are offering a full lineup hopefully with the refinemants that come after a year or two with a new chassis. Reports I've read say they had some quality issues to address Question now is what is going into RND. They're due for a new rear suspension.

https://snowgoer.com/latest-news/its-official-argo-president-brad-darling-investment-group-buy-arctic-cat/33347/

Nice to see this come through. https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/northern-snowmobile-trails-set-for-major-upgrades-10548048

Congrats on the new sled!!! Better post some pics.

Lol not trying to hi-jack. The qc trails in question are basically in the same area weather wise. Just a hop over the border which is how there is some relevance. Glad you're having a good trip. Have fun and please do continue to report back. Based on your report I take it you didn't see a lot of rain on Saturday?

Also was tq83 open from Rouyn-Noranda to Val D'or? Or did you just run the northern route on tq93?

Can you get north out of Senneterre? Map is showing a small section of closed trail? Also any advice on where to unload / ride from out of Rouyn-Noranda? Looks like a touch of rain up there today. Am hoping to get up there this week if things hold.