Off-Road Vehicles
Overview
All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) are a popular form of recreation for outdoor enthusiasts in Ontario. In Ontario, the Highway Traffic Act regulates the operation of ATVs/ORVs on public roadways. Under the legislation and related Ontario Regulation 316/03, the County of Lennox and Addington has the authority to pass by-laws to define if, where, and when ATVs/ORVs can travel on County roads.
The County of Lennox and Addington has adopted an Off-Road Vehicles by-law to regulate the use of off-road vehicles on the County roads within the municipalities of Addington Highlands, Loyalist Township, The Town of Greater Napanee and Stone Mills Township.
It is the ATV/ORV operator’s responsibility to research the ORV by-law in the municipality they plan to ride.
Off-Road Vehicles, Extreme Terrain Vehicles (XTV’s) and Off-Road Motorcycles (ORM) Amendments
Town of Greater Napanee Updates Off-Road Vehicle Regulations: By-law Amendments and Restricted Areas
On September 13, 2022, at the Town of Greater Napanee Regular Meeting, the Town Council passed By-law No.2022-0062 to Regulate the Operation of Off-Road Vehicles on Municipal Highways within the Town of Greater Napanee.
As a result of Town Council approving the revision of the prohibited areas within the Town of Greater Napanee, the County Council approved an amendment to By-law 3316/15 to reflect those revisions. Please refer to the map below (2022-11-09 Off-Road Vehicle Restrictions Map) showing the existing restricted road sections and the proposed restricted road sections. The amended By-law can also be found below.
Expanded Off-Road Vehicle Authorization: Amendments to the Highway Traffic Act
As of July 1, 2020, the Highway Traffic Act was amended to include two additional types of off-road vehicles to be operated on municipal roads if authorized by municipal by-law. The additional types of permitted vehicles now include:
- Extreme Terrain Vehicles (XTV’s)
- Off-Road Motorcycles (ORM)
The previous operational speeds, location of travel on the road, operator and vehicle equipment, insurance, and operator age requirements now extend to the additional permitted vehicle types.
Expanded Off-Road Vehicle Authorization: Amendments to the Highway Traffic Act
On July 15, 2015 the Highway Traffic Act was amended to permit additional categories of off-road vehicles to travel on certain provincial and municipal highways. In addition to previously permitted single rider all-terrain vehicle operation on provincial and municipal highways, two-up all-terrain vehicles, side by side all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles are now permitted to operate on the shoulders of certain highways.
Similar to the previously permitted all-terrain operations on highways, the newly permitted vehicles, drivers and passengers must comply with certain age, insurance and equipment requirements.
A municipality is required to pass a by-law permitting the use of off-road vehicles on municipal highways. To accommodate this requirement, the County of Lennox and Addington has now passed By-law No. 3316/15 and amending By-law No. 3326/16 to permit the operation of these additional vehicle types on certain County roads.
More information on permitted all-terrain and off-road vehicle operations on highways:
Do you know what you need to operate an ATV/ORV in Ontario?
