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ATV Bill Amended To Conform To Task Force Recommendations |
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Written by NDP News Release
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Tuesday, 06 December 2005 |
NDP House Leader Kevin Deveaux says that he is pleased that amendments passed today to the Off-highway Vehicles Act, Bill 275 will finally implement the recommendations put forward in the final report of the Voluntary Planning Task Force on Off-highway Vehicles.
"Let's be honest. This has been a tough process," says Deveaux. "The NDP maintained from the beginning that the extensive public consultation done by Voluntary Planning should be respected and the Task Force recommendations put into legislation, but not everyone else was there."
"It took a lot of work, the shock of a real tragedy, and weeks of presentations before the Law Amendments Committee to get where we are today."
"I think Nova Scotians can now be satisfied that we finally have a bill that will protect the safety of our young people, the integrity of the environment and the rights of land owners."
The sixteen amendments passed will limit the use off-highway vehicles including ATVs by 14 to 16 year olds to situations where the parent or guardian has direct supervision and the parent and youth are properly trained and certified, and will ban the use of ATVs by youth under the age of 14. Children under the age of 14 will be allowed to operate other off-highway vehicles such as snowmobiles and "dirt
bikes" only on private property with parental supervision and if both the child and parent are properly trained and certified, and if the vehicle is of the appropriate size. Operators under 16 with safety equipment will be allowed to operate OHVs including ATVs on closed courses maintained by an accredited organization if trained officials and first responders are on site.
Other amendments will require written permission from a landowner before the OHV operator can have access to private land and will restrict excessive noise from the machines. Deveaux also draws attention to amendments to the Wilderness Areas Protection Act that will limit the use of OHVs to certain areas and under certain conditions and which will prohibit most use of OHVs in ecologically sensitive
areas.
"It is fair to point out that the Act we have now is vastly different from the one initially introduced by the government last month," says Deveaux. "At that time only one of the Task Force's recommendations was included in the legislation intact, and today we have a bill that incorporates, or expands, them all."
"That is a strong validation of the effectiveness of the legislative process and I think the Tory Caucus should be commended for coming so far on this issue." |
