Snow Vehicles Pilot Project Regulations
made under Section 307 of the
Motor Vehicle Act
R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 293
O.I.C. 2023-351 (effective December 15, 2023), N.S. Reg. 220/2023
Table of Contents
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
Click here to go to the text of the regulations.
Interpretation
Citation
Definitions
Application of Act and its regulations
Pilot Project
Pilot project duration and access period
Permitted snow vehicles
Eligibility for participation in pilot project
Operating Snow Vehicles in Pilot Areas
Permitted operation on highways
Passengers
Age limit for passengers
Permitted time of day
Maximum speed
No towing
Helmets
Rules of the Road in Pilot Areas
Snow vehicle to be driven on shoulder
When snow vehicle driven on roadway
Pilot areas and controlled access highways
No overtaking and passing
Turning, stopping or decreasing speed
No roadway or shoulder parking
Trail Grooming in Pilot Area
No grooming of roadways and shoulders
Penalties
Category F offences
Category F (double) offences
Interpretation
Citation
1 These regulations may be cited as the Snow Vehicles Pilot Project Regulations.
Definitions
2 In these regulations,
“access period” means the period specified in subsection 4(2) for when participants
are permitted access to the pilot area;
“Act” means the Motor Vehicle Act;
“controlled access highway” means a highway designated as a controlled access
highway under the Public Highways Act;
“off-highway vehicle” means an off-highway vehicle as defined in the Off-highways Vehicles Act;
“participant” means a person who is eligible to operate a snow vehicle in a pilot
area;
“pilot area” means a portion of a public highway designated as an off-highway
vehicle trail by the Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables for the purposes
of these regulations;
“pilot project” means the Department’s project for researching, testing and
evaluating the use of snow vehicles on highways, as authorized by these
regulations;
“snow vehicle” means an off-highway vehicle that is designed or intended to be
driven on snow or ice, or both, and includes off-highway vehicles known as
snowmobiles.
Application of Act and its regulations
3 Except as otherwise provided in these regulations, the provisions of the Act and its
regulations applicable to motor vehicles apply to the operation of a snow vehicle in a
pilot area, except those provisions that by their very nature can have no application.
Pilot Project
Pilot project duration and access period
4 (1) The pilot project begins on the date these regulations come into force and ends
December 1, 2024.
(2) A pilot area may only be used by participants between December 15th and March
31st in a calendar year.
Permitted snow vehicles
5 Only a snow vehicle that meets all of the following criteria may be operated in a pilot
area as part of the pilot project in accordance with these regulations:
(a) it has handle bars for steering control;
(b) it is a tracked vehicle, commonly known as a snowmobile, that has 1 or
more steering skis;
(c) it is designed or intended to be driven exclusively or as its main purpose on
snow covered land and ice.
Eligibility for participation in pilot project
6 (1) To be a participant, a person must have a driver’s license in accordance with
Sections 64 and 65 of the Act and regulations made under Section 66 of the Act.
(2) A licensed learner is not eligible to be a participant and must not participate in the
pilot project.
(3) A person must not operate a snow vehicle in a pilot area unless they carry
third-party liability insurance in at least the amount required by the regulations
under the Off-highway Vehicles Act.
Operating Snow Vehicles in Pilot Areas
Permitted operation on highways
7 (1) Except as otherwise permitted under the Off-highway Vehicles Act, a person must
not drive a snow vehicle on a highway unless they are a participant operating the
snow vehicle in accordance with these regulations.
(2) A participant must not operate a snow vehicle in a pilot area other than during the
access period.
Passengers
8 A participant must not operate a snow vehicle in a pilot area with a passenger unless
both of the following conditions are met:
(a) the snow vehicle is designed by the original equipment manufacturer to
carry both a driver and a passenger;
(b) the passenger is seated in [a] straddled position behind the driver, facing
forward and has their feet securely on the separate foot rests intended for the
passenger.
Age limit for passengers
9 A participant must not operate a snow vehicle in a pilot area with a passenger who is
under the age of 9 years.
Permitted time of day
10 A participant must not operate a snow vehicle in a pilot area between 30 minutes after
sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise.
Maximum speed
11 A participant must not operate a snow vehicle in a pilot area at a rate of speed greater
than 25 km/h.
No towing
12 A participant must not operate a snow vehicle in a pilot area to tow another person,
vehicle or device.
Helmets
13 A person must not operate or be a passenger on a snow vehicle operated in a pilot area
unless that person is wearing a helmet that complies with standards determined by or in
accordance with the regulations under the Off-highway Vehicles Act.
Rules of the Road in Pilot Areas
Snow vehicle to be driven on shoulder
14 (1) A snow vehicle operated in a pilot area must be driven
(a) only when the shoulder is completely covered in snow or ice, or both;
(b) in the same direction as the traffic using the same side of the highway; and
(c) on the shoulder of the highway, except as provided in Sections 15 and 16.
(2) When driven on the shoulder, a snow vehicle must be driven as close to and
parallel with the right edge of the shoulder as can be done practically and safely.
(3) When entering the shoulder, a participant operating a snow vehicle must yield the
right of way to any traffic already using the shoulder and must enter the shoulder
only when it is safe to do so.
When snow vehicle driven on roadway
15 (1) A snow vehicle may be driven on the roadway in a pilot area when the roadway is
completely covered in snow or ice, or both, in any of the following circumstances:
(a) there is no shoulder;
(b) the shoulder is not wide enough to be driven with both skis off the roadway
completely;
(c) the shoulder is obstructed;
(d) the operator of the snow vehicle is preparing to make a left turn across the
roadway.
(2) When driven on the roadway as permitted under this Section, a snow vehicle must
be driven as close to and parallel with the right edge of the roadway as can be done
practically and safely.
(3) When entering the roadway, a participant operating a snow vehicle must yield the
right of way to any traffic already using the roadway and must enter the roadway
only when it is safe to do so.
Pilot areas and controlled access highways
16 (1) In this Section,
“ditch”, in relation to a highway, means the area between the boundary line of the
highway and the line of the shoulder farthest removed from the travelled portion of
the highway.
(2) On a portion of a controlled access highway that has been designated as a pilot
area, a snow vehicle must be operated only in the ditch, and must not be operated
on the shoulder or the roadway of the highway.
No overtaking and passing
17 (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), a participant operating a snow vehicle in a
pilot area must not overtake any moving motor vehicle when both the snow
vehicle and the other vehicle are travelling on the same shoulder or roadway of the
highway.
(2) A participant operating a snow vehicle in a pilot area may overtake and pass a
stationary snow vehicle or motor vehicle on the shoulder, if the movement can be
made in safety while remaining on the shoulder and to the left of the other snow
vehicle or motor vehicle.
Turning, stopping or decreasing speed
18 (1) A participant operating a snow vehicle making a turn, stopping or decreasing speed
must give a hand and arm signal in the manner required by subsection 119(3) of
the Act.
(2) Before beginning a left turn, a participant operating a snow vehicle must, without
interfering with the movement of traffic travelling in the same direction as the
snow vehicle, move away from the shoulder or the right edge of the roadway and
be positioned on the roadway in the position from which the left turn is to be
made.
(3) On completing a left turn from one road onto another road, a participant operating
a snow vehicle must, without interfering with the movement of traffic travelling in
the same direction as the snow vehicle, move to the right edge of the roadway or
shoulder.
No roadway or shoulder parking
19 Snow vehicles are not permitted to park on the roadway or shoulder in the pilot area.
Trail Grooming in Pilot Area
No grooming of roadways and shoulders
20 Equipment used in the grooming of snowmobile trails is prohibited from conducting
grooming maintenance activities on the roadway and shoulder within the pilot area.
Penalties
Category F offences
21 The penalties for a violation of any of the following provisions of these regulations are
the penalties provided for a category F offence in the Summary Proceedings Act and
regulations: Sections 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19 and 20.
Category F (double) offences
22 The penalties for a violation of any of the following provisions of these regulations are
the penalties provided for a category F (double) offence in the Summary Proceedings Act
and regulations: Sections 9, 13, 16 and 18.
The following regulations are not
yet in force and are not included in the current consolidation: