Motorized Snow Vehicles Act

ONTARIO REGULATION 186/01

trail grooming

Consolidation Period: From February 12, 2026 to the e-Laws currency date.

Last amendment: 30/26.

Legislative History: 68/02, 30/26.

This is the English version of a bilingual regulation.

Definitions

1. In this Regulation,

“drag” means a device with snow processing capacity that is towed behind a groomer and that is designed for grooming trails;

“groomer” means a vehicle designed, redesigned, converted or reconstructed for the specific purpose of grooming trails. O. Reg. 30/26, s. 1.

Groomer

1.1 Groomers are prescribed as a class of vehicle for the purposes of the definition of “motorized snow vehicle”. O. Reg. 30/26, s. 1.

Slow-moving vehicle sign

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

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

(b)  to the rear of the drag, if a drag is being towed. O. Reg. 30/26, s. 2.

(2) The slow moving vehicle sign shall meet the requirements of Regulation 616 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990 (Slow Moving Vehicle Sign) made under the Highway Traffic Act. O. Reg. 30/26, s. 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 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); O. Reg. 30/26, s. 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. (0.1) This section applies to a groomer instead of sections 17 and 17.1 of Regulation 804 of the Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990 (General) made under the Act. O. Reg. 30/26, s. 4 (1).

(1) Every groomer 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); O. Reg. 30/26, s. 4 (2).

(2) Every groomer 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); O. Reg. 30/26, s. 4 (2).

(3) Every groomer shall be equipped with a flashing amber light.  O. Reg. 186/01, s. 4 (3); O. Reg. 30/26, s. 4 (2).

(4) Every groomer 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); O. Reg. 30/26, s. 4 (2).

(5) Revoked: O. Reg. 30/26, s. 4 (3).

(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 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. 30/26, s. 4 (4).

(7.1) The lights required by subsections (1), (2), (3) and (7) shall be kept on at all times while the groomer or drag is in operation. O. Reg. 30/26, s. 4 (5).

(8) Despite subsection (7.1), 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); O. Reg. 30/26, s. 4 (6).

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 J594 “Reflex Reflectors”, dated June 2018, as amended from time to time. O. Reg. 30/26, s. 5.

(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 is exempt from subsections 2 (1), (2), (7) and (8), 2.1 (1) and (4) and 3 (2) and (3), clause 9 (3) (b) and sections 12, 19 and 21 of the Act. O. Reg. 30/26, s. 6 (1).

(2), (3) Revoked: O. Reg. 30/26, s. 6 (2).

(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).