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Motorized Snow Vehicles Act
Loi sur les motoneiges

ONTARIO REGULATION 186/01

trail grooming

Consolidation Period:  From March 11, 2002 to the e-Laws currency date.

Last amendment: 68/02.

Legislative History: 68/02.

This Regulation is made in English only.

Definitions

1. In this Regulation,

“drag” means a device with a cutting component that is towed behind a groomer and that is designed for grooming trails;

“groomer” means,

(a) a motorized snow vehicle with a fully enclosed operator’s cab and a gross vehicle weight of more than 500 kilograms that is designed for grooming trails, or

(b) a motorized snow vehicle with two tracks commonly referred to as an Alpine.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 1.

Slow-moving vehicle sign

2. (1) No person shall drive a groomer, other than an Alpine, on a highway or trail unless a slow moving vehicle sign is attached,

(a) to the rear of the groomer if no drag or other device is being towed;

(b) to the rear of the rearmost drag or other device, if one or more drags or devices are being towed; or

(c) where the groomer has a packer behind the drag that can be raised, to a post or other mount affixed to the rearmost point of the drag.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 2 (1).

(2) No person shall drive an Alpine on a highway or trail unless a slow moving vehicle sign is attached,

(a) to the rear of the rearmost drag or other device, if one or more drags or devices are being towed; or

(b) where the groomer has a packer behind the drag that can be raised, to a post or other mount affixed to the rearmost point of the drag.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 2 (2).

(3) The slow moving vehicle sign shall be free from snow, dirt and obstruction and shall be affixed so as to be plainly visible at all times.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 2 (3).

(4) The view of the slow moving vehicle sign shall not be obscured or obstructed by any part of the groomer, drag or any attachment.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 2 (4).

Attachments for drag

3. (1) A person driving a groomer on a highway shall ensure that every drag attached to the groomer is attached by at least two separate means of attachment constructed and attached so that the failure of one means of attachment will not permit the drag to become detached from the groomer.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 3 (1).

(2) The attachments must be of sufficient length to allow full turning of the groomer without the attachments touching the ground.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 3 (2).

(3) Subsection (1) does not apply when the groomer is directly crossing a highway, or when the means of attachment between the groomer and the drag is a two-point or three-point hitch system.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 3 (3).

(4) Each means of attachment required by subsection (1) must be strong enough to bear the vertical weight being towed.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 3 (4).

(5) Where a chain with hooks at its ends is used as a means of attaching the drag to the groomer, the hooks shall close or fasten by means of a clasp or other device capable of preventing the hook from slipping off.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 3 (5).

Lighting requirements

4. (1) Every groomer, other than an Alpine, shall be equipped with two headlights, one on each side of the front of the vehicle and no more than three metres above the ground, which shall display a white or amber light only.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 4 (1).

(2) Every groomer, other than an Alpine, shall have at least one tail light on the rear of the vehicle, no more than three metres above the ground, which shall display a red light only.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 4 (2).

(3) Every groomer, other than an Alpine, shall be equipped with a flashing amber light.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 4 (3).

(4) Every groomer, other than an Alpine, that is capable of travelling at a speed greater than 40 kilometres per hour shall be equipped with at least one brake lamp.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 4 (4).

(5) The lights required by subsections (1), (2) and (3) shall be kept on at all times while the groomer or drag is in operation.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 4 (5).

(6) The lights required by subsections (1), (2) and (3) must be clearly visible at a distance of 150 metres from the front or rear of the vehicle, as the case may be.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 4 (6).

(7) A groomer, other than an Alpine, that is in operation at any time between one-half hour before sunset to one-half hour after sunrise shall be equipped with not more than two spotlights that are placed at a downward angle so as to illuminate the drag, and with not more than two spotlights that are angled down so as to illuminate the area directly in front of the groomer.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 4 (7).

(8) The spotlights required by subsection (7) shall be turned off while the groomer is driven on a highway, unless the groomer is travelling directly across a highway, in which case those spotlights that point to the front or to the rear of the groomer and which are not directly visible to traffic on the highway may be left on.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 4 (8).

Reflector and lighting requirements for drag

5. (1) Every drag shall have,

(a) one yellow reflex reflector on each front side;

(b) one red reflex reflector on each rear side; and

(c) one or two red reflex reflectors on the rear.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 5 (1).

(2) The reflex reflectors must comply with the Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J594May89, Reflex Reflectors.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 5 (2).

(3) Every drag shall have at least one tail light on the rear of the drag, no more than three metres above the ground, which shall display a red light only.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 5 (3).

(4) The light required by subsection (3) shall be kept on at all times while the drag is in operation.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 5 (4).

Exemptions

6. (1) A groomer, other than an Alpine, is exempt from subsections 2 (1), (2), (7) and (8), 2.1 (1) and (4) and 3 (2) and (3), section 12, clause 9 (3) (b) and sections 19 and 21 of the Act.  O. Reg. 68/02, s. 1.

(2) An Alpine is exempt from subsections 2.1 (1) and (4) of the Act while towing a drag or while travelling directly to or from the place of storage of the drag.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 6 (2).

(3) A groomer, other than an Alpine, is exempt from section 17 of Regulation 804 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 6 (3).

(4) A person driving or riding on a groomer that has an enclosed cab is exempt from section 20 of the Act.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 6 (4).