Bill 100 is something private property owners may want to get familiar with.
The bill, which is being moved forward through government procedure, would instill "statutory easements" to trails on private property, meaning the property owner would not be able to close off the trail on their own land.
Concerned citizen Karen Mahon doesn't agree with the proposed bill.
"This would essentially take away the land owner's power to close off access to their own land. These 'statutory easements' aren't legal, they don't follow the law of the land," she says.
Mahon also says farmers who own property with such trails running through them, and have agreements with snowmobile users to use the trails, will be affected negatively.
"The government is essentially saying this is now a year round trail? I don't think that's right, because now people are freely and at anytime able to basically trespass on your land," says Mahon. "All for the sake of the government 'honouring the trail?' I don't think it's right, and local land owners may not even be aware of this."
Mahon wants local people to get familiar with Bill 100 and voice their concerns to their local MPs, something she has already done. However, it has been noted that this is a provincial bill, so anyone with concerns should contact MPP's to voice those concerns.
