Kelly Sinoski
Sun
The B.C. government plans to introduce rules for off-road vehicles in the next two years to clamp down on all-terrain vehicle problems.
The new rules, which apply to dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles, will require all riders on Crown land to get a one-time registration with a licence plate, and to wear helmets and use night lights.
Off-road vehicles will have to be registered and licensed when they are sold or resold. The rules do not apply on private lands.
“This initiative, in part, is about allowing law enforcement officials to track stolen ORVs, something almost impossible today. It is absolutely not about taking away anyone’s safe, responsible fun,” Minister of Community and Rural Development Bill Bennett said in a statement.
The move was lauded Tuesday by the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, which said it will boost B.C. as a tourist destination because the province will no longer be seen as a dumping ground for stolen all-terrain vehicles.
Chamber president John Winter said he hopes the move will lure people back from other places such as Alberta, Washington, Montana and Idaho.
“Tourists are staying away from B.C. because of the lack of registration and lack of safety,” he said.
The province is also proposing new standards for mufflers to minimize noise impact on wildlife and spark arrestors to reduce the risk of forest fires.
For more information, visit www.tca.gov.bc.ca/ORV.
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