WELLINGTON COUNTY – Last September, the county’s roads committee discussed allowing ATVs to travel on county roadways, wanting staff to report back on a bylaw to permit off-road vehicles (ORV).
Conversations in and out of council chambers throughout the county along with reporting by the Advertiser on ORVs, was all sparked by the province implementing blanket legislation at the beginning of 2021, allowing ORV users to drive on all roadways of certain listed municipalities, unless those municipalities opted out by passing a bylaw prohibiting their use.
But for Erin and Minto, because they are towns and not townships, the legislation didn’t apply and their roadways remained off-limits for ORV use prompting discussions of how to respond.
The towns were left to make their own decisions and pass bylaws, if desired, permitting ORV use rather than restricting it.
Along with passing a bylaw opting to allow ORVs on Minto roads last year, council there also passed a resolution requesting the county consider allowing ORVs on their roads as well. (The new legislation also didn’t apply to county-owned roads.)
Erin was the only holdout until Mayor Allan Alls put a motion forward to review the town’s policy and construct a bylaw permitting ORVs in the town on farmlands and countryside roads, but not within urban areas.
The town ultimately moved in favour of ORVs and passed a bylaw stating as much on Nov. 20, 2021.
With the decision on the books, county staff recently reported back to the roads committee, recommending direction for staff to formally provide a bylaw allowing for off-road vehicle use on all county roads without time or location restrictions.
A brief March 8 committee report authored by county engineer Don Kudo noted ORVs are “now permitted on all roads under the jurisdiction of the towns and townships” in the county.
Centre Wellington, Wellington North, Mapleton and Puslinch have no restrictions regulating ORV use, whereas Guelph/Eramosa, Minto, and Erin restrict operating hours and locations.
The committee carried the recommendation for a bylaw to permit ORVs on county roads, which will go to county council at a March 31 meeting when councillors will make a final decision on how to direct staff to proceed.
