Dying to cross the Confederation Trail
In a recent interview with CBC news, Steven Myers, minister of transportation, infrastructure and energy, stated that the Progressive Conservative government led by Premier Dennis King was planning to bring forward legislation this fall to facilitate building 20 new gated crossings of the Confederation Trail for the use of ATVs.
New purple gates would block cyclists and walkers and allow ATV’s to cross the Confederation Trail at high rates of speed. Minister Myers also said he would, for the first time, give ATVs access to dirt roads in rural parts of P.E.I.
This news was well received by the ATV Federation and its president Peter Mellish. The federation and the clubs it represents have been lobbying for access to the Confederation Trail for more than 15 years.
Significantly, their requests have been turned down by both Liberal and Conservative governments — until now.
Why the sudden change of heart? The ATV Federation is comprised of five clubs (the Tignish Sportsman Riders ATV Club, the Evangeline ATV Club, the Red Isle ATV Club, the Eastern Kings ATV Club and the East Prince Quad Tracks ATV Club). Most of their members come from rural parts of P.E.I. where the Conservative government won most of its seats in the spring election. These are also areas of the province where ATV use is concentrated.
Some may argue that building crossings over the Confederation Trail is simply a case of ATV riders finally getting their due. However, there’s an important policy question that underlies this seemingly innocuous request — does P.E.I. really want to encourage the use of ATVs on public roads, farmers’ fields and the non-motorized Confederation Trail?
Many studies have concluded that ATVs are inherently dangerous, especially for young people. The Canada Safety Council has reported that 912 riders lost their lives on ATVs and other off-road vehicles between 2007 and 2011 (most of the deaths were on ATVs). That’s an average of 182 deaths per year. In addition, more than 4,000 people were admitted to Canadian hospitals for injuries relating to ATV crashes in 200405. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), ATV accidents are growing faster “than any other wheel or water-based activity” in the country.
The CBC did an investigative piece on ATV deaths and injuries in Atlantic Canada in 2018. They called the review “Fatal Fun.” Between 2012 and 2018, there were 178 fatal crashes involving ATVs and snowmobiles in Atlantic Canada (most were on ATVs). The majority (64 deaths) were in New Brunswick followed closely by Newfoundland (61 deaths). Nova Scotia had 47 deaths and P.E.I. had six deaths (four on ATVs and two on snowmobiles).
Deaths alone do not tell the whole story. In New Brunswick, in addition to the 64 deaths, at least 1,183 people suffered traumatic injuries in this same time period — injuries that significantly affected people’s ability to function.
Perhaps most alarming, many of the injured were children.
The ATV Federation and Minister Myers believe there are significant economic benefits associated with ATV use in P.E.I. While there may be profits for the companies who sell the machines, one must ask, “Are there really any net benefits?” A study completed in New Brunswick in 2010 concluded that ATV and snowmobile injuries cost the New Brunswick economy $18 million a year (direct health-care costs plus indirect costs for lost productivity due to hospitalization).
P.E.I. is a small province and most of our land is privately owned. We do not have vast tracts of Crown land typical of New Brunswick, Newfoundland or even Nova Scotia. We also don’t have long stretches of trail where ATV riders can “open up” their machines without disturbing the neighbours.
What we do have is a death and injury rate from ATV use that is less than half the rate of the other Atlantic provinces. Keeping ATVs off the Confederation Trail will help keep it that way.