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Ontario Trails - We Keep Adding Events!!

On a regular basis the trail community sends us more trail events to add to our website! Add yours today. 

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Trail Events preparing for Winter - a short sample of 100's

Credit Valley Conservation - Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing Snowshoeing is one of the oldest modes of transportation. Whether you have you’re just starting or looking for new places to explore, the Credit Valley Watershed has many trails to offer. Terra Cotta Conservation Area...
Snowshoeing & Backcountry
Snowshoeing & Backcountry If you can walk, you can snowshoe It's not surprising that snowshoeing has been gaining in popularity in Ontario. It takes minimal equipment, it's easy to learn for the whole family and it delivers an...
Winter Snowshoeing at Bristlecone Lodge
On Site - included in our rates: Swimming, 350 ft. sand beach - clean clear water and sand Canoes, Kayaks, Pedal boats Spectacular sunsets west across the Bay Canoe trips, Bonfire nights (July & August) Boat Docking space Warm Summer...
Algonquin Highlands Snowshoeing Hikes
Experience a winter wonderland of rugged Canadian Shield, majestic hardwood forests, old growth white pine, hemlock and yellow birch. Ski or snowshoe to cliff-top lookouts and spectacular ice falls.   Catch a glimpse of wildlife such as...
Snowshoeing 101
Name of Event: Snowshoeing 101 Event Organizer:Credit Valley Conservation Description of Event:Learn the basics of snowshoeing while enjoying the beautiful winter scenery of Terra Cotta Conservation Area. This program is intended for...
Cooper Lake Snowshoeing
Hiking, back country camping, canoeing, snow shoeing, cross country skiing and golfing with minutes to six fabulous golf courses including Bigwin Island Golf Course, Club Links Grandview & Deerhurst Highlands. Occupancy 1- 4 persons....
Winter Getaway - Snowshoeing
 Are you looking for Northeast Ontario Cottage Rentals? All five of our fully-equipped housekeeping Cottages in Northeast Canada face the lake and have a wonderful waterfront view overlooking 870 feet of shoreline and sandy beach area....
Skiing and Snowshoeing in the Blue Mountains
Skiing and snowshoeing is available on many trails in the Blue Mountains throughout the winter. Current conditions are excellent. For locations, daily snow conditions report and weather visit...
Cedar Grove Snowshoeing
Winter at Cedar Grove can be a time of unlimited activity, or a time of relaxation. Listed below are some of the activities winter can bring at Cedar Grove. We have a selection of the following winter equipment that you can borrow free...
Horseshoe Valley Snowshoeing
Choose Horseshoe Resort for your next vacation in Ontario and take advantage of the Copeland Forest and Horseshoe Resort. Suited for both the beginner looking for a scenic tail to advanced hiker looking for a challenging climb, you can...
Frontenac Provincial Park Snowshoeing
Although the entire park's network of hiking trails are available to visitors throughout the winter, most snowshoers and hikers enjoy the moderate 3 km Doe Lake Loop and easy 1.5 km Arab Lake Gorge Loop. For an all day adventure, try the...
Hike the Ganaraska - Snowshoeing
The nine member clubs of the Association maintain the 500 kilometre long Ganaraska Hiking Trail from Port Hope on Lake Ontario to the Bruce Trail near Collingwood, with side trails to Wasaga Beach and Midland. The Association is run by a...
Snowshoe Smart
In the winter, Ontario offers countless trails through boundless landscapes for snowshoe enthusiasts. Whether you’re out for a casual trek in the woods or an overnight backpack trip, Ontario's snowy forests and trails are the place to...

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Wild Rock Trail Tourism Event November 6
 

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From some of our friends


Thanks MJ Ellis

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Ontario Trails - We Keep Adding Trails!!

On a regular basis the trail community sends us more trail events to add to our website! Add yours today. 

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The Hydrocut - Waterloo

The Hydrocut provides an unmatched mountain bike riding experience in Ontario.

The 25 kilometers of uninterrupted, pure flowing singletrack paths were created and continue to be regularly maintained entirely by the hard work of volunteers, year after year since the 1998.

The trails have become the favourite playground for local residents and visitors from afar. View the hydrocut site or Igor's blog for more information - http://thehydrocut.ca/
http://hydrocut.ca/author/igordragoslavic/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGy6vAejfc8

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails/view/the-hydrocut-waterloo

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Beaten Path Nordic Trail - Atikokan



Located just minutes south of the townsite of Atikokan are more than 50 km of diversified trails. Quality groomed skate lanes and track-set classic trails provide skiers a variety of opportunities to experience wilderness surroundings on safe challenging trails in any weather conditions.

Tour through the Beaten Path Nordic Trails;  make Atikokan a destination during your winter season.Beaten Path Nordic Trails is an active cross country ski club in the Atikokan area.  With the help of many members and volunteers, The Beaten Path have developed some of the best cross-country trails in Ontario.

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails/view/mocassin-trail-park

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Mocassin Park Trail - Toronto

A 15 hectare park at Lawrence Avenue East and the Don Valley Parkway featuring walking paths through a naturalized ravine forest.

The path passes eastward under the Don Valley Parkway to additional parkland.

Following the path through a second underpass beneath the Canadian National Railway line you will find yourself on the banks of the East branch of the Don River in the Charles Sauriol Conservation Area.

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails/view/mocassin-trail-park

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166 People want the Prescott-Russell Rail Trail saved!

SIGN OUR PETITION TO SAVE THE TRAIL! COUNCIL MEETS IN OCTOBER SIGN SOON!

Save the Prescott Russell Trail. Many people use and love this trail.

The trail is 72 kilometers long and it runs through 8 townships and many towns in eastern Ontario.

The Prescott-Russell Rail Trail is the only outdoor recreational facility of its type in the area. The trail enables healthy hiking, active walking, dog walking, safe cycling off-road and winter snowmobiling.

Suddenly and without notice there is discussion of closing the trail. Many people love and rely on the Prescott-Russell Rail Trail. This trail is beautiful and a main corridor of travel and recreation for many people.

There have been no trespass complaints from landowners. Many local community members have fought for this trail and regularly work to maintain it.

The Ontario Trails Council asks you to sign this petition because we do not believe leaders fully understand the benefits of the Prescott-Russell Rail Trail to people's health, to tourism and to the environment.

Watch a video about this trail

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Trailhead Toronto Program

Join us November 24th, Ontario Heritage Centre, 8 Adelaide St. in Toronto for Trailhead Toronto - a discussion about Toronto Trails by the people that build, design, find and use Toronto Trails!
Learn more at trailheadtoronto.com
Register at: Trailhead Toronto

Thursday		Presenters
8:00 – 8:45AM	Registration
8:45 – 9:30AM	Opening Remarks	Jack De Wit, President, Ontario Trails; Minister Eleanor McMahon MTCS*
9:30-10:00AM	Implementing Standardized Trails Classification	Mark Schmidt,Parks Trails Analyst, Parks Canada Visitor Experience Branch
10:00-10:30AM	Developing Natural Environment Trails	Karen Sun, Natural Environment Specialist (Acting) Toronto Parks and Forestry
10:30-10:45AM	Break
10:45-11:30AM	Implementing Effective Wayfinding Signage	Janette Harvey, Natural Environment Specialist, Urban Forestry, City of Toronto
11:30 – 12:15PM	Implementing Accessibility Guidelines – City of Toronto	Karen Strickland, Community Accessibility Programs, City of Toronto
12:15-1:00 PM
1:00 – 1:30PM	First Nations and Trail Signage	Larry Frost, Executive Director, Native Cultural Centre of Toronto
1:30-2:00PM	Justifying Trails in an Urban Environment – GHTA Experiences	Wayne Terryberry, Director, University of McMaster Recreation
2:00-2:30PM	The Ontario Trails Act and the Ontario Trails Strategy Implementation Plan	Steve Harlow, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport
2:30-2:45PM	Break
2:45-3:15PM	Toronto Region Conservation Trail Development	Mike Bender, Director Master Planning and Greenspace Conservation Manager, Rouge Park TRCA
3:15-3:45PM	Mood Walks and Healthy Hikes	Nekeisha Mohamed, Communications Officer Conservation Ontario with Terri LeRoux, Director Credit Valley Conservation Foundation
3:45-4:15PM	Active Transportation and Trails in the City	Joey Schwartz, Advocacy Director, Toronto Bicycling Network
4:15-4:45PM	Toronto Trails Committee	Patrick Connor, Executive Director Ontario Trails
4:45 – 5:15PM	Thanks

 As at 27/10/2016 subject to change and availability. *invited

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Find Your Healthy Hike

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Trails Tourism Integration Strategy Meetings Planned

A total of 15 meetings are being held with RTO's, DMO's and other partners as Ontario Trails works to develop an RTO Trails Tourism Action Plan for release in spring 2017.

We have been in touch with each RTO and our calendar of dates includes:
 

Location	Date
Stratford RTO4	October 31st
Niagara Falls RTO2	December 6th
Newmarket RTO6	November 29th
Kingston RTO9	November 1st
Hamilton RTO3	November 3rd
Collingwood RTO7	TBA
Peterborough RTO8	November 9th
Renfrew RTO11	November 10th

Sudbury RTO12&13	November 13-16th
London RTO1	November 18th
Toronto	November 24th

 During each session we will discuss:

• Current RTO+DMO Tourism Strategies
• Current Outdoor Activity Marketing
• Existing Trail Inventory
• Identify Gaps
• Consolidate Events
• Review Ontariotrails.ca Trails Marketing
• New Content Initiatives
• Share Data and Data Gathering Processes
• Review TTIP Action Plan Outlines
• Define Next Steps

For more information contact Patrick Connor at 613-484-1140
Locations to be announced.

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Cycling Consultations Announced

A total of eight (8) workshop sessions will be held throughout the province of Ontario.

Representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and other other areas of government will participate where possible to ensure we continue to build on synergies with the Ontario Trails Strategy and other important work, including regional transportation planning initiatives. The following table provides preliminary information on the regional workshop sessions.
 

Location	Date
Kingston	November 1st
Ottawa	November 2nd
Thunder Bay	November 7th
Sault Ste. Marie	November 8th
Toronto	November 10th
Orillia	November 16th
London	November 18th
North Bay	November 24th

Each of the meetings will be held between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. We ask that you select the date and location most applicable to your work / interests. This invitation will be followed by a set of meeting notifications containing more detailed information. We ask that you select and accept the meeting that is most appropriate to you. You should expect to receive the meeting notifications in mid-October.

E-mail - MTOCyclingNetwork@mmm.ca

Ontario Trails News - Bill 100 fact sheet, Trailhead Toronto Nov 24th, CycleON Consultations and more from Ontario Trails!

ADD Your Trail!

Ontario Trails - We Keep Adding Events!!

On a regular basis the trail community sends us more trail events to add to our website! Add yours today. 

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Trail Events - a short sample of 100's

Date: 2016-03-08 to 2017-11-30
Event: Toronto Hiking Hikes
Type: Hike
Torontohiking.com provides over 50 hikes along the Bruce Trail and other area trails.
Date: 2016-04-01 to 2016-10-31
Event: Warsaw Caves Hike - Make Your Trail Event
Type: Hike
Enjoy an easy 7 km walk on trails ending at the beach and picnic shelter for lunch. For those who want more, there is an optional 4 km.
Date: 2016-05-01 to 2016-10-31
Event: Trans Canada Trail
Type: Natural Heritage
Trans Canda Trail is Canada's national trail heritage project. When complete the TCT will stretch from coast to coast to coast. The TCT in Ontario goes from the Manitoba border across to North Bay, down to Hamilton and from Windsor to Ottawa.
Date: 2016-05-04 to 2017-05-07
Event: Wilderness Adventurers of Ontario - Hiking Events
Type: Snowshoe
The Wilderness Adventurers outdoor club was formed more than 25 years ago by a small group of canoeists. The club has since grown and is currently around 100 members strong. Members share a variety of interests from cross-country skiing to hiking, and both flat and whitewater canoeing.
Date: 2016-09-01 to 2017-09-01
Event: Hike the Ganaraska Map/Directions
Type: Hike
Be part of this exciting initiative to promote healthy active lifestyles, healthy economies and opportunities to explore Ontario’s wonderful trails.
Date: 2016-09-16 to 2016-12-31
Event: Forest Lea Enduro
Type: Mountain Biking
The Forest Lea Trails are becoming widely recognized as the best technical singletrack system in Eastern Ontario. The FL Enduro is a trail focused fundraising event to celebrate the Forest Lea Trails and raise money for maintenance and development.
Date: 2016-10-08 to 2017-04-01
Event: Ontario Parks - Bronte Creek Nature Centre
Trail: Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Type: Nature
Ontario Parks provides a wide range of all year round events in its parks. Ontario's Parks are one of the best places to discover the outdoors and Ontario's trails!
Date: 2016-10-08 to 2017-10-08
Event: Paul's Dirty Mountain Bike Enduro
Trail: Ganaraska Forest
Type: Mountain Biking
Defiant Mountain Bike Club hosts several events and lists events on facebook.
Date: 2016-10-09 to 2016-11-28
Event: Autumn Is Show Time In Southern Ontario Parks
Type: Nature
Spectacular fall colours, cool nights, and sunny days – with no mosquitoes or black flies – make autumn a great time of year to visit a provincial park.

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Ontario Trails - We Keep Adding Trails!!

On a regular basis the trail community sends us more trail events to add to our website! Add yours today. 

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Windrift Kennels Dogsledding

Come and enjoy the Canadian outdoors on your very own dogsled! You will have the opportunity to help harness and hook up your team. During the tours there is time to stop and enjoy the scenery, as well as discuss the dogs and answer any questions that you may have.

Warm drinks and snacks are provided on the half day experience at the half way point, and a hot chili lunch on the trail is provided on the full day experience.

*Please note that for safety reasons you must be 16 years old to drive a dogsled. All times are approximate and include driving your own 4-6 dog team.  All experiences are guided.  Prices subject to change without notice.

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails/view/windrift-trail

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Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport Releases a Bill 100 Fact Sheet


We are pleased to provide a link to the letter the Minister sent to OTC regarding its leadership role in the passage of Bill 100. Thanks to Minister McMahon, Minister Coteau and all the MTCS staff for their assistance. We are also providing a link to the MTCS Fact Sheet about Bill 100. It closely mirrors earlier OTC releases.

MTCS Letter

MTCS Bill 100 Fact sheet

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OTC Board Member Denise Erikson presents on ATV safety
Event's ATV safety talk covers a lot of terrain

By Michael Lea, Kingston Whig-Standard

Tuesday, October 18, 2016 7:50:24 EDT PM

Schoolchildren and their teacher listen as Denise Erickson, left, and Melanie Trottier talk about ATV safety during the Racing Against Drugs event in Kingston on Tuesday. Grade 6 children rotated through interactive displays on healthy, substance-free living. (Michael Lea/The Whig-Standard)

Instead of the thousand or so Grade 6 students who have been listening to a talk on the safe use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) during this week's Racing Against Drugs event, it should be their grandparents who are getting the lecture, a representative of the province's ATV clubs said.

"Grandparents buy their grandkids these machines all the time and don't take into consideration how fast they go and how powerful they are," Denise Erickson, administrative assistant for the Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs, said.

Racing Against Drugs was first introduced to Kingston in 2005 by Kingston Partners for a Safe Community and Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health. They continue to be the organizers.

The initiative was created by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a drug-awareness program for children. The idea was to use the sport of motor racing, where there is no tolerance for substance abuse, to educate children on the need for a healthy, drug and alcohol-free lifestyle. It stresses the need to make smart choices.

This week is the first time the ATV federation, which includes 15 ATV clubs, has been represented at the event. The federation was invited by the Ontario Transportation Ministry to help spread the word on ATV safety and the importance of driving without being impaired.

As well as the need for a proper helmet and other clothing, riding the proper-sized ATV is key, Erickson said.

She pointed to the smaller of two ATVs she had on display. That should be the size 12-year-olds are riding, she said.

"Unfortunately, mom and dad own this one," she said, pointing to the full-sized machine next to it.

"So a lot of them are saying they already ride an 850 or 1,000 cc ATV, which is too big for them for their size, for their weight."

There is no age limit to ride an ATV if you are on private property, but children should always be supervised, she explained.

"I have seen five-year-olds on them," Erickson said. "It depends on the parents. Grandparents are one of the worst."

You have to be 12 if you want to drive on a trail. And you have to be 16, with a valid driver's licence, if you want to even touch any part of a road, she continued.

"These kids can ride an ATV but they can't cross a road."

Melanie Trottier, a regional marketing planner for the Transportation Ministry, joined Erickson in her concern for the young riders' safety.

She recounted how one teacher was inquiring how to install a car seat for a three-year-old in a side-by-side ATV.

"That is not appropriate. It is not legal," she said.

Trottier, too, has seen young children driving ATVs.

"You can see four-year-olds driving one of these. It is not recommended at all," she said.

Neither woman could say how many children had been involved in ATV accidents over the years.

"I would say teenagers are the worst for injuries because they believe they are not going to get hurt," Erickson said. "They drive these big, powerful machines without helmets. It's the people who are driving too fast above their experience without wearing a helmet. They are the ones getting injured."

Full Article>>>>>>>>>>>

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137 People want the Prescott-Russell Rail Trail saved!

SIGN OUR PETITION TO SAVE THE TRAIL! COUNCIL MEETS IN OCTOBER SIGN SOON!

Save the Prescott Russell Trail. Many people use and love this trail.

The trail is 72 kilometers long and it runs through 8 townships and many towns in eastern Ontario.

The Prescott-Russell Rail Trail is the only outdoor recreational facility of its type in the area. The trail enables healthy hiking, active walking, dog walking, safe cycling off-road and winter snowmobiling.

Suddenly and without notice there is discussion of closing the trail. Many people love and rely on the Prescott-Russell Rail Trail. This trail is beautiful and a main corridor of travel and recreation for many people.

There have been no trespass complaints from landowners. Many local community members have fought for this trail and regularly work to maintain it.

The Ontario Trails Council asks you to sign this petition because we do not believe leaders fully understand the benefits of the Prescott-Russell Rail Trail to people's health, to tourism and to the environment.

Watch a video about this trail

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Trailhead Toronto Program


Join us November 24th, Ontario Heritage Centre, 8 Adelaide St. in Toronto for Trailhead Toronto - a discussion about Toronto Trails by the people that build, design, find and use Toronto Trails!

Learn more at trailheadtoronto.com

Register at: Trailhead Toronto

 

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Find Your Healthy Hike

 

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Trails Tourism Integration Strategy Meetings Planned

A total of 15 meetings are being held with RTO's, DMO's and other partners as Ontario Trails works to develop an RTO Trails Tourism Action Plan for release in spring 2017.

We have been in touch with each RTO and our calendar of dates includes:
 

Location	Date
Stratford RTO4	October 31st
Niagara Falls RTO2	November 2nd
Newmarket RTO6	November 29th
Kingston RTO9	November 1st
Hamilton RTO3	November 3rd
Collingwood RTO7	November 7th
Peterborough RTO8	November 9th
Renfrew RTO11	November 10th

Sudbury RTO12&13	November 13-16th
London RTO1	November 18th
Toronto	November 24th

During each session we will discuss:

• Current RTO+DMO Tourism Strategies
• Current Outdoor Activity Marketing
• Existing Trail Inventory
• Identify Gaps
• Consolidate Events
• Review Ontariotrails.ca Trails Marketing
• New Content Initiatives
• Share Data and Data Gathering Processes
• Review TTIP Action Plan Outlines
• Define Next Steps

For more information contact Patrick Connor at 613-484-1140
Locations to be announced.

---

Cycling Consultations Announced

A total of eight (8) workshop sessions will be held throughout the province of Ontario.

Representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and other other areas of government will participate where possible to ensure we continue to build on synergies with the Ontario Trails Strategy and other important work, including regional transportation planning initiatives. The following table provides preliminary information on the regional workshop sessions.
 

Location	Date
Kingston	November 1st
Ottawa	November 2nd
Thunder Bay	November 7th
Sault Ste. Marie	November 8th
Toronto	November 10th
Orillia	November 16th
London	November 18th
North Bay	November 24th

Each of the meetings will be held between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. We ask that you select the date and location most applicable to your work / interests. This invitation will be followed by a set of meeting notifications containing more detailed information. We ask that you select and accept the meeting that is most appropriate to you. You should expect to receive the meeting notifications in mid-October.

E-mail - MTOCyclingNetwork@mmm.ca

Ontario Trails News - Announcing Trailhead Toronto Nov 24, 2016. We invite all trail groups to attend!

TrailheadToronto.com

CALL US TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT OR SPONSOR THIS EVENT!

613-484-1140

Patrick

Ontario Trails news - thanks for the mentions, take a survey, Toronto Bruce Trail, TrailheadToronto!

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Everyday Ontario Trails assists trails in Ontario - Service Request Form

The Ontario Trails Council requests that folks start using it's Service Request form so that we can track the supports we provide to trail organizations in Ontario - a lot of which is unfunded.

Our work, leading to Bill 100, or an Ontario Trails Implementation Strategy benefits all trails, but not all support our work, so if you want our valuable assistance please complete this form going forward so we can track requests!




We believe in trails and would be happy to assist as per our mandate and mission, but a priority, given resource and time constraints will be given to members first.

 

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Announcing Trailhead Toronto!
In Fall of 2016 trail enthusiasts and supporters are headed to Toronto for a day of meetings and lively discussion about all types of local and regional trails.Are you a member of the OTC? Are you Toronto based, a trail group, a service provider, a developer of trails? Why not join us as a presenter on the very important date of November 24th.

Why is that date important? Its the day before the Ontario Trails Coordinating Meeting that is the implementation framework the province has adopted to address trail issues in Ontario. Ontario Trails Council is co-chair of the process.

For the last 20 years risk, user behaviour and resultant liability has been the number one issue facing trail managers and operators. Through member support we have achieved significant reductions in liability exposure that the insurance industry is declaring as positive. 

After 12 years of work we got a trails act that reduces trail liability making easier for ALL trail organizations to secure trails due to reduced risk exposure. This act supports the management strategy and vice versa.

So why not attend or present @Trailhead Toronto? Showcase your project to government and the other 25 trail leaders that will be meeting the next day to decide directions of change.

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News From Around the Membership

Thanks to Ontario Children's Charter for the Support


Thanks Camper Christina!

Thanks for the mention and showing off Ontario's Highlands!

Thanks for the mention - Frank Cowan and Co.

Thanks for the mention Stephanie Mayo!

Thanks for the mention - John Kinsella!

Thanks for the mention - Toronto Bruce Trail!

Thanks again to Joanna Milczarek who does a great job finding and sharing all these great trail stories on behalf of the Ontario Trails Council!!