The Manitoba government is investing in the province’s walking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobile trails.
In a news release on Monday, Dec. 16, the provincial government announced nearly $658,000 of funding for 12 organizations responsible for maintaining the provincial trail system. Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt said winter activities are “vital to helping Manitobans enjoy the cold winter months,” and the funding for the trail upgrades will promote active living, environmental stewardship, and nature conservation.
“Maintaining our extensive multi-use trail system allows Manitobans to make the most of the snow and spend time outdoors with loved ones,” she said. “This funding supports trail repairs and improvements for off-road vehicle use in Manitoba.”
The announced funding comes from the annual fee collected by Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) for registered off-road vehicles. Organizations receiving grants are:
– Headingley Grand Trunk Trail Association: $26,280 for walking trail repair
– Clearwater Lake Outdoor Club: $44,500 for cross-country ski trail repair in Clearwater Lake Provincial Park
– Local Government District of Pinawa: $29,000 for Alice Chambers Trail rehabilitation project
– Eastman Snopals Inc.: $100,000 for snowmobile trail rehabilitation in the Lac du Bonnet area
– Ducks Unlimited Canada: $50,000 for Oak Hammock Marsh trail repair
– South Interlake Sno Riders Inc.: $90,090 for snowmobile trail rehabilitation
– North Mountain Riders Inc.: $100,000 for snowmobile trail repair north of Swan River
– Log Cabin Riders Inc.: $35,000 for snowmobile trail repair in the Interlake
– Ashern Snowmobile Club 2008 Inc.: $78,000 for snowmobile trail repair
– Northern Trailblazers Snowmobile Club Inc.: $90,000 for snowmobile trail rehabilitation in the Interlake
– Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District: $11,000 for trail repair and enhancements at the Tourond Creek Discovery Centre
– Victoria Beach Snowdrifters: $4,000 for snowmobile trail repair
The Northern Trailblazers Snowmobile Club grooms 240 km of trails each year in the Fisher Branch area. Dustin Cymbalisty of the club said the trails are used almost daily, and the club grooms them once a week. Along the way, the club maintains three warm-up shelters.
They used the grant money to fix ruts along the trails, add gravel, provide grading, and haul in rock to prevent recurrence. All work was done by mid-November, taking about three weeks to complete.
“The upgrades were necessary because there were ruts on the trail,” he said. “Our trail from Fisher Branch to Narcisse is also the Prime Meridian Trail, ATV trail, walking trail, horse trail, and snowmobile trail, and it was a safety hazard for all, hard on groomer equipment, and snowmobiles.”
The South Interlake Sno Riders cover 180 km of trail from southern Stony Mountain to northern Teulon and west of Warren to east of Petersfield. Joe Thievin of the group said the trail is used daily by riders from late December to mid-March every year. The group grooms the trails once a week to ensure riders have an enjoyable, safe experience each time.
“Upgrades are necessary to address ruts and holes in the trail base caused by erosion and off-road vehicles,” he said. “We also manage the vegetation growth that creeps into the trail. The repairs are critical in low snow years as there can be inadequate snow to fill the ruts causing the trail to be unsafe.”
The South Interlake Sno Riders used the funds to fill ruts along the trail system with extracted clay, then top it with rail ballast to ensure a long-term solution. The work started in late October and wrapped up in early November. Thievin said the last major upgrades to their trail system were done about 11 years ago, not including annual grading and other repairs.
“The funds enabled us to do work that we could never afford to do,” he said.
The Log Cabin Riders groom and maintain around 210 km of trail in the Moosehorn area. Jason Nickel of the group said regular ATV traffic in the off-season makes ruts in their trail system, which were fixed with funding from the provincial government.
“The trail we worked on has never been worked on before,” he said. “The grant money enabled us to get the job done.”
The group rented an excavator, farm tractor, and three field discs to finish the work before winter.
Jason Wiebe, president of Snoman Inc., said the funding will help to fix damage that happened to the trail network in the off-season. He said the work done will ensure clubs across Manitoba can continue to provide high-quality, safe snowmobile trails. Snoman has 53 clubs across the province that maintain and groom 13,000 km of trails yearly. The trail network is managed by a trail pass program, meaning there are no regular government funds for the system.
“Our sport brings many economic benefits to rural communities at a time when other tourism activities are slow, and we are looking forward to increasing awareness of our vast provincial trail network,” he said.
With the trail upgrade funding, the provincial government is also declaring Manitoba Winter Trails Day be celebrated on Feb. 8, 2025. Executive director of the Cross-Country Ski Association of Manitoba, Karin McSherry, hopes the new day will “inspire all Manitobans to explore the variety of ski trails” in the province and “discover or rediscover a love for cross-country skiing this winter.”
“Proclaiming Manitoba Winter Trails Day will support the promotion and awareness of Manitoba’s incredible winter trails and activities, celebrate partners across the province who build and maintain the trails, and encourage Manitobans to spend quality time outdoors with family and friends,” said Schmidt.
Manitoba’s provincial parks are free to enter during February, making it easier for Manitobans to enjoy trails across the province on Manitoba Winter Trails Day.
