**TIMMINS POLICE SERVICE NEWS RELEASE**

The Timmins Police Service – Traffic Section is in receipt of a number of complaints in regards to certain behaviors undertaken by local snowmobilers that run contrary to the expectations of the public and constitute violations under the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act.

One such behavior is the use of altered or aftermarket exhaust systems on snowmobiles that cause these machines to violate the applicable sections of the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act (MSVA).

As such, enforcement efforts by the Traffic Section of the Timmins Police Service has been identified as a necessary measure to address the use of such devices that alter the normal noise reducing function of a standard muffler.

Those snowmobile operators found to be in violation of the following sections of the MSVA, specifically, sections pertaining to equipment requirements, will be subject to charges under that section and face the fines commensurate with such violations..

18 (1) No person shall drive a motorized snow vehicle unless it is equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation and no person shall drive a motorized snow vehicle which has a muffler cut-out, straight exhaust, gutted muffler, hollywood muffler, by-pass or similar device upon the motorized snow vehicle. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.44, s. 18 (1).

18 (2) No person shall drive or permit to be driven any motorized snow vehicle upon which any component or device, which was required under the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada) at the time that the motorized snow vehicle was manufactured or imported into Canada, has been removed, modified or rendered inoperative. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.44, s. 18 (2).

In addition, the Timmins Police Service is issuing a reminder to snowmobilers that no amendments allowing for snowmobiles to be used or operated on city streets has been enacted.

As such, in the absence of a bylaw allowing the use of snowmobiles on designated city streets, such operation or use is prohibited by the MSVA in keeping the following section of the MSVA

7 (2) The council of a local municipality may pass by-laws regulating, governing or prohibiting the operation of motorized snow vehicles within the municipality including any highways therein or any part or parts thereof. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.44, s. 7 (2).

Those operators found in violation of the applicable sections are likely to have their behavior addressed by means of the issuance of an Offence Notice.

As always, the Timmins Police Service would rather educate the motoring public than have to prosecute operators found in violation of the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act.

Filed under: Local News