2026 Ontario season

[Candubrain]

Was at our club's meeting on Tuesday.   One questionable take away for me is the reduction of groomers.   The OFSC is saying 2 less groomers in each district.

 

That means higher running hours on each machine and drag, potential for more mechanical failures and down time.   Resulting in some rough trails.   Predicting you'll need good suspension going forward.

 

Not bashing the OFSC, their choices or people, but wondering what cut backs are happening in the glass palace to help the situation?

[Strong Farmer]

19 minutes ago, Candubrain said:

Was at our club's meeting on Tuesday.   One questionable take away for me is the reduction of groomers.   The OFSC is saying 2 less groomers in each district.

 

That means higher running hours on each machine and drag, potential for more mechanical failures and down time.   Resulting in some rough trails.   Predicting you'll need good suspension going forward.

 

Not bashing the OFSC, their choices or people, but wondering what cut backs are happening in the glass palace to help the situation?

I think that's why they want to cut trail 20 percent too. With those new groomers should be able to cover more terrian in a day, not double but should be able to do more no doubt..,Hopefully they don't stick all southern areas with old equipment after cut backs.

Equipment more expensive then ever. 

[Spiderman]

27 minutes ago, Candubrain said:

Was at our club's meeting on Tuesday.   One questionable take away for me is the reduction of groomers.   The OFSC is saying 2 less groomers in each district.

 

That means higher running hours on each machine and drag, potential for more mechanical failures and down time.   Resulting in some rough trails.   Predicting you'll need good suspension going forward.

 

Not bashing the OFSC, their choices or people, but wondering what cut backs are happening in the glass palace to help the situation?

 

That should be very transparent and clearly outlined before anything else.

It is not hard to be clear and outline what steps have been taken, were explored, before we came to this result/conclusion. It could be a combination of both - but if you don't explain that, nobody will know, speculation will run rampant and people will get upset.

 

It's not hard to be a clear transparent communicator.

 

[Yukon]

6 hours ago, Candubrain said:

Was at our club's meeting on Tuesday.   One questionable take away for me is the reduction of groomers.   The OFSC is saying 2 less groomers in each district.

 

That means higher running hours on each machine and drag, potential for more mechanical failures and down time.   Resulting in some rough trails.   Predicting you'll need good suspension going forward.

 

Not bashing the OFSC, their choices or people, but wondering what cut backs are happening in the glass palace to help the situation?

It's based on total kms of trails in the districts and having a groomer that can cover anywhere from 100-150kms.

 

Maybe thats for your district alone?

 

 

[Steve F6]

Last i heard HGR loses a groomer👎 also good bye trail 50 after spending a week cutting a reroute. Send an email to ofsc if u use trail 50. The at grade hwy crossing is the issue i believe.

[Strong Farmer]

1 hour ago, Steve F6 said:

Last i heard HGR loses a groomer👎 also good bye trail 50 after spending a week cutting a reroute. Send an email to ofsc if u use trail 50. The at grade hwy crossing is the issue i believe.

How many groomers does hgr have?  Thats a bummer about trail 50. 

[Spiderman]

1 hour ago, Steve F6 said:

Last i heard HGR loses a groomer👎 also good bye trail 50 after spending a week cutting a reroute. Send an email to ofsc if u use trail 50. The at grade hwy crossing is the issue i believe.

50 is one of my favorite trails……

 

If it goes, and 84 in our system go, that’s it for me, will pull the chute on purchasing passes 

[Strong Farmer]

8 hours ago, Spiderman said:

50 is one of my favorite trails……

 

If it goes, and 84 in our system go, that’s it for me, will pull the chute on purchasing passes 

Does 50 go across from the d into 80's trails. Been abit since I have been in area. I have a feeling this is one of few ways to access area still, from d? 

[Spiderman]

43 minutes ago, Strong Farmer said:

Does 50 go across from the d into 80's trails. Been abit since I have been in area. I have a feeling this is one of few ways to access area still, from d? 

It’s the one that comes off the trail that goes to Baysville, heads towards Huntsville and crosses 11 at Falconbridge road and into 88, annd our lake or trail. It’s an awesome trail and awesome connector for a lot of people that don’t want to run the D.

 

like I said, if we are now voluntarily closing these kinds of trails vs closing because of landowners, that’s it’s for me.

 

our club is small, we have a nice little grouping of local trails. If they are forced to shut them down and we are left with the D, I am done with buying passes.

 

I will run the lakes and ride without a pass.

 

 

 

[Spiderman]

Anyway, take it for what it’s worth. but

I would suggest every club simply flat out say no, and end the discussion. Bring it to a head.

 
I would love to see the agreement and specifically the language that says the OFSC has the autonomy to do whatever they want and dictate that policy.

 
Might be time for clubs to break away.

 

[smokeater466]

On 8/12/2025 at 1:40 PM, stoney said:

So if there is a loss after a good year - that tells you the permit is grossly under priced, what has been said for a long time.

Decreasing the trails is overdue as well - the sport has shrunk and continues too, be it ridership or volunteers.

 

As for permit increase, do not recall the specifics, but the MTO must approve that, not sure what the timeline or deadline for that is though, but I think it might be too late for this coming year - might be wrong....

 

Sounds realistic to me vs. "spewing", IMO.....and Dave K did add some validity to it.

I agree that the permit is underpriced, but they are hesitant to raise it over fear of loss of permit numbers. How do they propose to go to government hat in hand for more funding to support the system if you don't show that you have raised revenue and without their support more trails will close? They need to demonstrate that they have taken steps to raise revenue  and the impact on local economies if they fail to act. In this environment of USA Tariffs and supporting the Canadian Small Businesses now is the time to make that case.

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

1 hour ago, smokeater466 said:

I agree that the permit is underpriced, but they are hesitant to raise it

I believe the MTO has been limiting the permit increases to 7%.

[Spiderman]

Has anyone asked the people who think the permit is "too expensive" are using as a reference to base that on?

Do they have an actual answer? or is it just "its too expensive"

Cause I'm looking around me, and am having a hard time trying to relate to that the minute you want to do anything besides sit on your couch, in your back yard, or in the garage all day.

 

Just a quick look around - and this is quick.

My men's league hockey fees - per player - Winter = $607.00 - summer = $530.00 = so $1,137.00 per year

Round of golf locally = $79.00 ( does not include a cart ) - so 3 rounds of golf excluding food and drinks

1 day pass at the Moto track = $35.00 per day

Day pass to go snowboarding = $69.00

Fuel for the weekend on the Seadoos: $200.00 - $300.00

 

Jut got my sons first batch of 4 hockey sticks for the start of training camp and season ( we do an order of 4 in August - order of 4 in December )

 

4 sticks = $1,943.55 x 2 = $3,887.00 for STICKS ONLY - no skates, no other equipment, no team fees, no extra ice, no skills trainers, no off ice personal trainers. 

 

It goes on and on ( I have another child too  ).

 

Permit - full pop = $294.00

 

So, I guess like I said, can someone please make it make sense to me how/where the pass is "too expensive"?

 

I can't relate

 

[95rxl650]

2 hours ago, Spiderman said:

 

4 sticks = $1,943.55 x 2 = $3,887.00 for STICKS ONLY - no skates, no other equipment, no team fees, no extra ice, no skills trainers, no off ice personal trainers. 

 

 

Are you saying your beyond throwing them an axe and a buck knife and pointing to the woods??

[Mach Z]

On a positive note.......................fired up the sleds yesterday. Haven't run since March. Boom both fired right up, smoked out the trailer and made all the right sounds.....................

 

Still miss the two-stroke smoke smell on startup. oh well no complaints here. 

[Spiderman]

1 hour ago, mach Z said:

On a positive note.......................fired up the sleds yesterday. Haven't run since March. Boom both fired right up, smoked out the trailer and made all the right sounds.....................

 

Still miss the two-stroke smoke smell on startup. oh well no complaints here. 

😁I had 2 of ours going 2 weeks ago, pretty much smoke out the area, it was heavenly.

[zoso]

On 8/12/2025 at 1:25 PM, Strong Farmer said:

Not sure what costs per km are today to run system. Glory days are long gone your right. 
Ev stuff is nuts. They don't even have a plan in place to delivery hydro needed if we did switch over to ev's. When I went to port Stanley on weekend people were idling in front of ev plugs, waiting for thier turn 😂. Maybe 3 plugs  for 200 parking spaces. Infrusture we are going to need is nuts. Sir Adam beck wanted to run all trains on electric too, but that wasn't sustainable back then either. Why are they even trying it now 🤪
 

I can tell why. They want to limit personal vehicle ownership. And this will do just that. Many many 10 year old cars on the road getting lower wage earners to work, these peoplemcannot afford an electric vehicle so on the bus they go. Matters not anyway, as soon as CBDC comes in and they decide you have used your quota of carbon, on the bus you go. Stay in your quadrant and shut up. Sleds, quads, and boats will be banned. If we cannpt get rid of the liberals this will be our new life.

[zoso]

On 8/13/2025 at 12:50 PM, signfan said:

There needs to be a compromise.  Setup some areas in the south with snow making on a 200 km loop or something of that nature.  If I’m in London that might be attractive vs keeping status quo.  Quality and season length does need to be a priority.  No one wants to pay for something they can’t use.  Closing down everything in the south could cause a massive sell off of sleds though.  Where do you draw the line?  That’s the challenge.

To put snowmqking on a 200km of trail would cost millions in cap ex, then millions to run it.

[zoso]

On 8/24/2025 at 12:52 PM, Spiderman said:

Has anyone asked the people who think the permit is "too expensive" are using as a reference to base that on?

Do they have an actual answer? or is it just "its too expensive"

Cause I'm looking around me, and am having a hard time trying to relate to that the minute you want to do anything besides sit on your couch, in your back yard, or in the garage all day.

 

Just a quick look around - and this is quick.

My men's league hockey fees - per player - Winter = $607.00 - summer = $530.00 = so $1,137.00 per year

Round of golf locally = $79.00 ( does not include a cart ) - so 3 rounds of golf excluding food and drinks

1 day pass at the Moto track = $35.00 per day

Day pass to go snowboarding = $69.00

Fuel for the weekend on the Seadoos: $200.00 - $300.00

 

Jut got my sons first batch of 4 hockey sticks for the start of training camp and season ( we do an order of 4 in August - order of 4 in December )

 

4 sticks = $1,943.55 x 2 = $3,887.00 for STICKS ONLY - no skates, no other equipment, no team fees, no extra ice, no skills trainers, no off ice personal trainers. 

 

It goes on and on ( I have another child too  ).

 

Permit - full pop = $294.00

 

So, I guess like I said, can someone please make it make sense to me how/where the pass is "too expensive"?

 

I can't relate

 

Try putting them in ski racing through the Toronto ski Club. Better get two more jobs. Lol. Permit needs to 400 bucks, problem solved.

[Mach Z]

11 hours ago, zoso said:

Try putting them in ski racing through the Toronto ski Club. Better get two more jobs. Lol. Permit needs to 400 bucks, problem solved.

Id do 500 personally. Its not even remotely unreasonable

[zoso]

How much money does the AGM cost? As well as all the other, fly in to the hotel, or get 50 cents per km to drive to it,  meetings? All of this money could be saved and all of it done remotely. Might want to start there.

[Panther340]

Is this good news ? .       https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/northern-snowmobile-trails-on-track-for-429k-in-upgrades-11204633

[Spiderman]

2 minutes ago, Panther340 said:

Is this good news ? .       https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/northern-snowmobile-trails-on-track-for-429k-in-upgrades-11204633

Certainly isn’t bad news.

i assume any of the work is not on trails that have been ear marked for closure 🙂

[Strong Farmer]

1 hour ago, Spiderman said:

Certainly isn’t bad news.

i assume any of the work is not on trails that have been ear marked for closure 🙂

I can see a few of those trails getting canned. Some of trails aren't even in northern Ontario 😂

[signfan]

C101D was on the list to be cut wasn’t it?