Just in time for the upcoming summer holiday season, Ontario has
passed new legislation designed to improve and
protect the province's trails system.
The new act, the Supporting Ontario's Trails Act, 2016, act
introduces a new piece of legislation, the Ontario Trails Act,
2016. The Ontario Trails Act, 2016 aims to (s. 1):
- To increase awareness about and
encourage the use of trails.
- To enhance trails and the trail
experience.
- To protect trails for today's
generation and future generations.
- To recognize the contribution that
trails make to quality of life in Ontario.
It seeks to do so through a number of measures, including the
introduction of a "Trails Week" at the beginning of June
every year (s. 4(1)) and authority for the Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Sport to create a trail classification system (s. 691))
and best practices (s. 7(1)). It also requires the Minister to
maintain an Ontario trails strategy (s. 8(1)) and provides
facilitates the