White Wolf Snowmobile Club to develop groomed trial system

The White Wolf Snowmobile Club in Labrador West will begin work on a series of groomed snowmobile trails that will eventually become part of the Trans Labrador trail system. The club has been awarded $199,200 to begin to develop the portion of the system that will connect with the winter trail system in Quebec at Fermont.

Today's announcement was made today by Lawrence O'Brien, M.P. for Labrador on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Minster of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and by Perry Canning, MHA - Labrador West on behalf of Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal.

"Snowmobile tourism activity remains largely underdeveloped in this province and that is mainly due to a lack of groomed trails and promotion," said Mr. O'Brien. "This initiative is the beginning of a whole new industry for Labrador tourism. While it is true we have a long history of trail development in Labrador, we have never developed the infrastructure with the tourism market in mind. These trails in Labrador West, and their connection with the system in Quebec, offer the potential to attract increasing numbers of tourists to our region."

The economic impact of snowmobile infrastructure development is often underestimated throughout Canada. Quebec and New Brunswick are quite advanced in the development of their respective industries, while in Ontario the snowmobile industry has generated a 20:1 return on investment. The average snowmobiler spends $270 per year on related vehicle maintenance, insurance, accessories and clothing. This does not include money spent on accommodations, gas and food during excursions.

"The White Wolf Snowmobile Club is to be commended for its hard work and dedication to the local community," said Mr. Canning. "Public support for this initiative has been significant and I believe it will in time lead to the creation of new business opportunities. This project represents a community-based effort to take a common recreational activity and turn it into a wealth generating industry, and all indications are those efforts will be successful. The goal is to create an integrated winter trail system that serves both the island and mainland portions of the province, and to have that system feed into the TransCanada Trail network. The marketing potential for such a product is substantial and will result in economic diversification and increased employment opportunities within the winter tourism trade."

It is anticipated that the trail system will attract out-of-province visitors who will boost the local tourism economy in Labrador West, particularly the restaurant, hotel, and service industries, and extend the traditional tourism season.

In Newfoundland and Labrador it is estimated that the development of an integrated trail system will have a direct economic impact of $59 million in its first year of completion with the potential to grow to $90 million in six years.

The White Wolf Snowmobile Club will clear a trail that will loop from the Quebec border eastward to Grand Hermione Park and back again. Signage and shelter huts will be erected along the trail, but the lion's share of the financial support will be used to purchase a trail groomer. Groomed trails are smooth, continuous and 12-15 feet wide, sufficient for two snowmobiles to pass comfortably, and have no hidden rocks or tree stumps. They have pull-offs to allow riders to enjoy scenic views, and in remote places there may be heated shelters. Because snowmobilers travel light, groomed trails tend to link communities and are well sign-posted providing travellers with distances to motels and gas stations. Where groomed trails have been built in other provinces, snowmobiling has increased exponentially.

The Strategic Regional Diversification Agreement is a 70:30 cost-shared agreement between the federal and provincial governments. The agreement is administered federally by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and provincially by the Department of Development and Rural Renewal.

Contact:
Paul Murphy
Cooperation Communications
(709) 772-0219

Clifford Grinling
Department of Development and Rural Renewal
(709) 729-7066