Greater Sudbury Police pilot ATV Day at Confederation Secondary School

The Greater Sudbury Police Service is working with Confederation Secondary School to pilot an all-terrain vehicle safety awareness program.

Representatives from the Police Service and the Ministry of Natural Resources will be at Confederation Secondary School on Friday, June 2, 2023 to deliver the in-class component.

A team of 10 students in Grade 12 will hit the trails on their ATVs on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. The group will leave a designated location on nearby Nelson Lake Road at 9 am.

The proposed route is approximately 50 km in length and will take the group two to three hours to complete. MNR representatives will provide more education on conservation during the lunch break. The Police, meanwhile, will perform safety demonstrations on site.

“While the focus on ATVs is new, the training is modeled after the popular snowmobile days that we have presented for many years,” says Constable Al Brunette of the Rural Unit.

He adds: “With ATVs gaining in popularity, particularly in our rural areas, there is certainly a need to focus on health and safety. The purpose of this event is to educate students on the safe and respectful way to drive their ATVs.”

Rainbow District School Board Director of Education, Bruce Bourget, thanked the Greater Sudbury Police Service for initiating the pilot program with support from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Provincial Police.

“Incorporating a hands-on component to the training makes it that much more effective,” he says. “Building awareness among young people will foster safe use, promote respectful riding and prevent possible injuries.”

He adds: “This program can also serve as an optional certification for students in the Specialist High Skills Majors.”

Confederation Secondary School will launch a new Environment SHSM this fall.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.