Dealerships are blaming government legislation for loss of sales.

Most of these dealerships also sell snowmobiles, this is hitting us all.

Click on the link to read about dealers closing...Click this*

Pretty f..king sad, we warned the goverment about minding their own business AND STAYING AWAY FROM ATV, SNOWMOBILES DIRTBIKES ETC , topline in truro looks like a ghost town, their probably next, pretty sad they just moved to a bigger location because of their booming business, then boom ,the goverment gets involved and sinks the ship!! SAD , SAD, SAD, :frech32: :frech32: :frech32:

Governments wreck everything.
They fucked up pot, stills and now atv's.
Sometimes all three at once.
What's next?

Some people don't give a rats ass about what their kids do in their spare time, so they get on a quad (with or without permission)
jam three people on it and go joyriding by the highway and disasters ensue.
If i tried that horseshit as a kid i'd pay for it dearly. The parents of these kids should be held responsible.
They should be the ones serving the sentence, not the rest of us....The government is just caving to
the people who fund their elections, lookin for that precious vote.
Lack of common sense by them should not constitute a lock down on my enjoyment.

The Government : THE ONLY LEGALIZED CRIME IN THE COUNTRY.

TTT

Hate seeing dealers going out of business :banghead:

Agree completely. The government could give a shit, it's only peoples lives they're fucking with.

Not A True Quote Insurance Companies Are Also Legalized Crime In our Country

Those dumb-asses (government) don't want to listen. I guess the don't want the provincial part of the HST on the sales from the ATV's, snowmobile's or any other OHV. The more of these dealerships that go under and close their doors for good mean less money from taxes on items they have sold to putting people out of work. Then they wonder why people leave this province for another. F--king dummies! Wonder what it cost them to put the sign up out in Alberta to encourage people to come back home? OHV tax money won't cover these kinds of things anymore. All the money for all the machine taxes over the year could have built some nice trails to drive on. It would not have even taken all of this money to so. You can complain to your local MLA's all you want. Like it was said before there are about two in the whole bunch of 40 that even care about this issue. The rest would not even realize what an OHV looks like, yet alone what a developed trail system would be! Lawyers, and doctors don't make get politician’s and that appears to be most of the problem with the new regulations! That is my rant for the day! Thanks for listening! :banghead:

Interesting reading. Voluntary Planning Off-Highway Vehicle Task Force

http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/ohv/OHV_Final_Report.pdf

EXAMPLE (Obviously not official numbers):
Number of ATVs Sold Prior to legislation=10,000 UNITS x $7,500 (Avg Price) x 14% TAX = $10.5 MILLION DOLLARS Collected by the government.

ATV sales have dropped 40-60% here in Nova Scotia:

Number of ATVs Sold NOW= 5000 UNITS x $7,500 (Avg Price) x 14% TAX = $5.25 MILLION DOLLARS

LOSS of REVENUE to the Government

$5.25 MILLION DOLLARS

This does not even take into account USED ATV SALES.

Obviously the government doesnt know how to forecast or even use a calculator to see the effects on their bottom line.

Maybe they don't really care about $5.25 Million????

Just emailed this to all of the MLAs in the province:

Good Morning to all:
My name is Andrew Burchell. A resident of Hubley Nova Scotia (Bill Estabrooks riding).
I figured all of you would appreciate this feedback since most of you are in Rural Nova Scotia.

Chronicle Herald Article:
http://www.herald.ns.ca/NovaScotia/550472.html


Why is the government funding stunts like paying for signs advertising in Alberta to draw Nova Scotians back to the province? We have nothing to offer skilled tradesmen ie related job here in NS?

4 ATV realted dealers have closed their business in the last 4 months because of the government legislation.

Product Finder, Amherst
Action Cycle, Elmsdale
Northwest Cycle and ATV, near Lunenburg
Blockhouse Sports and ATV, Blockhouse (near Mahone Bay)




EXAMPLE (Obviously not official numbers):

Number of ATVs Sold Prior to legislation=10,000 UNITS x $7,500 (Avg Price) x 14% TAX = $10.5 MILLION DOLLARS Collected by the government.
ATV sales have dropped 40-60% here in Nova Scotia:
Number of ATVs Sold NOW= 5000 UNITS x $7,500 (Avg Price) x 14% TAX = $5.25 MILLION DOLLARS
LOSS of REVENUE to the Government
$5.25 MILLION DOLLARS
This does not even take into account USED ATV SALES.
Obviously the government doesnt know how to forecast or even use a calculator to see the effects on their bottom line.

Maybe, you the government, doesn't really care about $5.25 Million????

My questions to all of you:

Where are you going to make this revenue back up ,besides increasing the registration fee on OHVs (which are declining anyway)?

How are you going to presonally gain popularity in Rural Nova Scotia? Attempt to remedy these OHV changes that have slaughtered this sport and way of life.

What are you personally going to do to address the issues of ATV dealers going bankrupt? Local gas stations and stores feeling the pressure from the OHV changes?

This is a very large issue for all of you to ignore. I suggest that appropriate changes be made or many more dealers will be going bankrupt, and the TAX revenue that you as a government collect will shrink to nothing.


Andrew Burchell
5 Hope Ave
Hubley, NS B3Z 1B8
902 476 3854
aburchell44@hotmail.com

Good job Andrew, that letter hits the nail on the head ,gets right to the point, no betting around the bush!!

Thanks
ANdrew

The money grab has to end in order to ressurrect the sport. If everybody takes one year off from purchasing trail passes, registering OHV's, and trading up...everyone will get the message. It will be tough on a few dealers but I bet they are pretty marginal anyway. It's not up to me to feed any other family except for mine. I have recreational property in Sutherlands area and my young fellows can't even enjoy the area anymore without getting chased by the OHV officers. The real problem is going to manifest itself when young males get their first sport bike without any dirt riding experience. I was talking to a 16 yr old and hid dad at Freedom with 0 riding experience looking at a 636. I was testing out a new zx10r and the dad asked me for my opinion on his son. I told him to order the casket at hte same time as the bike.

The new rules are discouraging everyone from making OHV purchases and teaching their children at a young age. The new courses are BS. The younger we get our children on dirtbikes of an appropriate size the sooner they will become responsible, safe riders. Make it easy and the industry will flourish. All the "accidents" which resulted in the deaths which caused the OHV act were the result of brainless thinking. Training does not prevent acts of cerebral lapse but only benefits the few who are collecting the money. It is ironic the OHV officers aren't even required to take the useless coarse but us guys that have been driving for 40 yrs+ are required to. When the fun goes out of it and it is difficult to do....people won't bother.
Just my 2cents

Well said!

The government takes our money for snowmobiling and spends it somewhere else. WTF! How about raising fines and wat, get there money that way and put it into something that will make a difference. I'm young but I've seen some major changes in the sport since the government got involved. I found something I like now it's goin down the drain.

i was wondering if the dealers are going to step up and go after the government for some changes that will make it better for everyone. or at least make them clarify the rules so everyone is on the same page. everywhere ya go somebody says something about the rules and go somewheres else it's different. that way if we knew all the ins and outs people may decide to buy an new atv if they know where they can and can't drive it. as far as i'm concerned it's all a joke but ya can't do nothing about but it sucks seeing dealers go out of business. makes it harder to get parts and service for people that use to have a dealer next door.

Well said RX1
If the dealers want to remain dealers they will lobby the Gov't to ease restrictions for a while. Fines and fees are just going to turn existing and future off roaders away. Parts for machines are simple and easier to get in our global economy than ever...Ebay, Royal Distributing, and a host of on-line services. Our market is so miniscule that it does not matter to the suppliers and manufactures or they would be helping to keep it going with more assistance. Maybe the Federal Gov't should make the same rules for all of Canada...if they are even needed. Tax grabs for permits, plates, passes, fines, training amount to more than the cost of the vehicle over time so most folks are now saying it is too expensive and not worth the effort.

powervalve

yeah it is easier to get parts now more than ever. but what i forgot to say in there is that most times when a dealer closes it is more than just atvs and snowmobiles. there is the little things like powersaws, spacing saws, woodspitters. i could go on and on so it affects more than just the guy that would like to buy a new atv. and your right it is a total tax grab which made alot of people down this way get out of it all together which is not good.

Well said Powervalve.....
So many people here rave on and miss the point.
So few people realize that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
I tried hard to get on the task force, no dice...
My written submission was sent in...
I attached the following: see attachment
I tried to tell folks that The best way to lessen the risk of accidents was through education of young people.
They just don't get it.
Ready to help....

Sorry I added one too many attachment....
But seriously, think about this....
C

Sorry, I failed to give credit to Dave Despain for writing the whole thing.
C

That all sounds great but the dealers are the minority to the gov't everyone who owns an ohv (atv cart sled dirt bike etc) needs to step up, we have been to meetings made calls letters and met face to face with the interim Liberal leader Michel Samson who is from here and we gave him writers cramp with suggestions back in november and he said he would take these up with the other people in gov't, some of the other dealers have met with the leaders of the NDP and PC parties and they are listening but it will take time to change things, Latest word is some changes are in the works for the next few months.
We are trying and have been since the first word of these changes came out the gov't goes by majority so if you want results start punching keys send emails,letters and phone calls if we ALL don't speak up then they won't listen make some noise and not just on here like I said in previous posts I am sure they are not taking the time to read this stuff and if they are I would like to tell them to quit screwing
all of us off roaders and do something that makes sense, like some reasonable rules to live by, not taking our rights and away giving the govt more money to give themselves raises while the rest of us bust our asses off at work all week and then some, only to have to pay more to have less!!!

GET YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM !!!

WELL..............That was well said by all,,,,nice letter Dave,,,,,,,it is the honest brutal truth.....But Highland Attack is right,,,it is not up to the dealers alone,,,,it is up to all drivers,riders,owners...etc..etc....Most dealers are involved in these particular activities,,,,,,so of course they want it to stay alive,,,,enjoying their hobbies as well as making their business problems easier and business healthier,,,,But we all have to do something...I don't have the answer either off the top of my head , but something has to be started before it is gone too far,,,,the ball is rolling within the government and all others who want to see us fail pressuring them to do so,,,,,,,FACK,,,,,,they are listening to land owners and activists who are not even INTERESTED or INVOLVED in these outdoor sports....listening to their DEMANDS and their WHINES...Somehow , Someway , We as the people who LOVE these times,,,, HAVE TO START SOMETHING..........as the saying goes THERE IS STRENGH IN NUMBERS..........
Again,,,,I don't have the answers either , but open to suggestions , , , , , , , , , , ,

It is a shame to say,,,,,,,,,but in years to come , we and the youth coming behind us may not be able to ride at all , anywhere other than in a circle in your own yard,,,,,,,if that will be allowed , if the environmentalists don't condem naturally aspired engines.........

I agree with all the comments above, especially Rockys(Highland Attack). I have been to those meetings, as a representative of the aftermarket industry. I did not see any other suppliers but I have a passion for the sport and care for the wellbeing of the dealers.

Change comes with numbers. What I mean by that is like said above:email, write letters, call your local MLA and complain. This is the only democratic way to get your voice heard. Its not up to the 50 dealers of the province who have a very biased opinion (dealers and me want to sell sell sell). Its really up to OHV users.

Its a real shame. I see the negative effects everyday at the dealers. But you have to keep your chin up and keep a positive attitude.

Andrew

wuts the fine for loud pipes on a sled

Loud pipes belong on race tracks, not trails.

Well here is my two cents... I lived in NS for 34 years grew up in a rural area, enjoyed learning to ride sleds at a young age in the back yard supervised. I graduated up to the little drives up the logging road out back, rode with the neighbours kids got the buddy system going where someone was the leader and everyone followed. You stopped so far down the trail and regroup and made sure no one was behind, or broke down, the sameway we ride sleds these days. The lessons I learned about these machines gave me respect for horsepower and made me a responisble adult. This way of life has been destroyed. I worked in a large railcar plant back home for 10 years learned a trade, became a supervisior. The Nova Scotia goverment made more and more rules for the company to work under, it made us cost ineffective, jobs gone. With that I left Nova Scotia in search for work, since I couldn'd pay for my house or put gas in my truck on min wage, As the big oil and gas project has yet to start. ( something to do with goverment) Since Alberta has open arms, and let business run themselves I have come to stay for now. It maddens me to see the Nova Scotia goverment spending good money on ads out here. The first thing they must fix is the mistakes that finger puppets have in the past in acted for their friends, instead of the future vision. I find there is no future vision in Nova Scotia and it must change NOW. The F&*K Up with the OHV is only the tip of the iceberg. I loved the rural life in Nova Scotia and love to come home torrmow but... What is there to come home to, A provinicial goverment that belives in part time employee's, the rural outdoors where you have to have 4 pieces of paper to be allowed to start your bike/sled to go out, because of the part time residents from out of province don't want footsteps on there land. ( and they are never around to support the growth of the community) And poor parenting. And to top it off a chance to let kids be kids and learn that there is a reason why you don't drive on the road with your bike until 16. This is got to STOP or allow the commiust way of rule to contiune to slowly set in. As you won't have to think for yourself. ( And kids will not learn from their mistakes) Wait until they tell you that you are only allowed to ride durning daylight hours. ( insurance or gov) THIS MUST STOP, letting the media run all over with their views is destroying Nova Scotia. and they fight must start with the media, The finger puppets will fall into place.. GODSPEED to everyone and hope the snow comes.

Also, I belive that loud pipes save lives. Try to make a train quite.

Their problem now is that everyone thinks they are Sam the Safety Bear, all these new rules on highways, OHV's, child seats and every dam other thing is safety related. They really do think they are doing the world a favor with all these new regulation when in actual fact 90% of it is a load of horse shit. Most of them don't have the sense god gave a squirrel. I had a Manager of DOT actually tell me that it is not safe to cross a highway with an ATV or Snowmobile under any circumstances and that they won't grant any furthur crossings beyond those that already exist and are grandfathered. He also said that if he had his way even those already approved will be removed.

THIS MADE THE LETTERS/FEEDBACK SECTION OF THE HERALD http://www.herald.ns.ca/Letters/551502.html
Harry is on the ATVANS Exec.

Biased coverage

The Jan. 3 article "ATV sales hit the ditch" once again attempts to put the blame for every problem, no matter how large or trivial, that has ever been or is currently being experienced by the ATV sport /industry squarely at the foot of the provincial government.

I would expect nothing less from your left-wing (news?) paper, as this has been the pattern of this paper for as long as I can personally remember.

Your paper is as, or more, responsible for the decline of and possible demise of this socially and financially important sport/industry as any government, department or legislation could ever be, because of the hysterical coverage of every negative incident being experienced by the ATV sport/industry, no matter how small or trivial.

In your headlong rush to "generate" news, no concern was ever given to the social and economic implications of the decline and possible demise of this sport/industry by your paper as it printed the screaming and biased headlines that swayed the thoughts of usually more responsible people, who then jumped on your bias-driven bandwagon.

Every letter to the editor or article written by or on behalf of the Ecology Action Centre(which is a well-known opponent of ATVs and ATVing in this province) was scooped up in glee and given further spin by your paper.

And you probably consider yourselves good corporate and social citizens? What a joke.

Harry Pinsent Sr., Sackville

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great letter/post and very interesting spin on said issue :div20:

I'm actually surprised they printed it.

Good to see someone out there has been paying attention!!!
:div20:

I sent this article in the hearld to a lot of MLA's, and got a responce from Micheal Baker MLA 4 lunenburg, he thanked me for drawing his attention to this matter!!
Dear Mr. McCabe:

Thank you for taking the time to provide me with this information.

Yours truly,

Michael G. Baker, MLA
Lunenburg

----- Original Message -----
From: paintbrush
To: stephenmcneil@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; a.macisaac@ns.sympatico.ca ; info@chrisdentremont.c ; mlagoucher@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; corbettmlacentre@ns.sympatico.ca ; mlaclarke@ns.sym ; gordiegosse@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; manningm@ns.sympatico.ca ; jstreatch@eastlink.ca ; waynej@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; mlataylor@eastlink.c ; karencasey@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; ddexter@ns.sympatico.ca ; deveaux.mla@ns.sympatico.c ; elf@ns.sympatico.ca ; murrayscottmla@eastlink.ca ; joanmasseymla@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; tzinck@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; marilynmoremla@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; junior@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; billdooks@eastlink.ca ; wilsond@gov.ns.ca ; ronaldchisholm@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; dmla@eastlink.ca ; hepstein@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; preyra@eastlink.ca ; diana.whalen@ns.sy ; graham@grahamsteele.ca ; macdonma@gov.ns.ca ; barnetbe@eastlink.ca ; acdonell@ns.sympatico.ca ; cportermla@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; rodneym@ns.sympatico.ca ; kparentmla@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; morse.mla@ns.sympatico.ca ; leoglavine.mla@ns.aliantzi ; michaelbakermla@ns.sympatico.ca ; bolivargetson@eastlink.ca ; patdunnmla@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; clarriemla@ns.aliantzinc.c ; charlieparkermla@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; colwelkw@gov.ns.ca ; vconrad@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; michelsamson@ns.sympatico.ca ; davidawilsonmla@eastlink.ca ; mlashelburne@eastlink.c ; billestabrooks@navnet.net ; snsmrmin@gov.ns.ca ; keithbainmla@ns.sympatico.ca ; y.paris@ns.aliantzinc.ca ; rhurlburt@ns.aliantzinc.ca
Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2007 1:22 AM
Subject: family business GONE!!


ATV BUSINESSES ARE CLOSING AT RECORD NUMBERS ALL OVER NOVA SCOTIA THANKS TO THE TASK FORCE RECOMONDATIONS






Glen Toope sits on the only ATV left in his now-closed shop in Blockhouse, Lunenburg County. Mr. Toope closed his family business Christmas Eve because of plummeting sales.(Beverley Ware / South Shore Bureau)


ATV sales hit the ditch

By BEVERLEY WARE South Shore Bureau

BRIDGEWATER — On Christmas Eve, Glen Toope turned down the heat at his ATV dealership on the main road running through Blockhouse, set the alarm, locked the door and walked away.

On Tuesday, he sat at the kitchen table playing cards with his two daughters and scanning the want ads looking for a job.

Mr. Toope owned Blockhouse Sport & RV for 13 years. The prosperous business enabled him to build a beautiful home and live well. But now he is unemployed and blames the province’s new off-highway legislation.

He’s one of four ATV dealers from Amherst to nearby Northwest in Lunenburg County to go out of business in recent weeks.

"There’s going to be a pile more going down," Mr. Toope said. "Our whole business is destroyed."

Mr. Toope said the new rules do not take into account the way of life of ATV users in rural communities.

He said his customers were confused about the rules that came into affect April 1 and many simply decided to stop using their machines.

And he said those who do get the necessary training and permits complain they have nowhere to ride their ATVs.

"The new rules have just destroyed us. Nobody’s coming in. Business is gone, it’s dead."

Mr. Toope said he saw sales drop right away. "By late spring, business was down, down, down."

He held on as long as he could but closed his business Dec. 24 before he went bankrupt. "I’m very worried. I’m looking for work but I don’t know what I’m going to do."

His wife Susan did the books and he had two employees — a mechanic and a parts person. Now they’re all out of work.

Paul D’Entremont, who has a dealership in Pubnico, was so upset with the government’s handling of the ATV legislation that he formed a committee of dealers to talk with the province.

"Our business is down 50 per cent," he said, referring to the industry as a whole in Nova Scotia.

Besides Mr. Toope’s business, nearby Northwest Cycle & ATV, Action Cycle in Elmsdale and the Product Finder in Amherst have shut down. "There’s a lot more to come," said Mr. D’Entremont.

"The ATV legislation wasn’t done right. It was done wrong."

Mr. D’Entremont agrees rules are needed but said the legislation was rushed through without adequate input from the businesses that would be most directly affected by it.

"Everything was done so quickly."

The province held extensive public hearings on ATV regulations, said Diane LeBlanc of the Natural Resources Department.

She said the committee that made recommendations to the province held about 30 "very well-promoted" public meetings across Nova Scotia.

"These regulations are designed for the safe and responsible use of off-highway vehicles. That’s what Nova Scotians said they wanted and that’s what they’re designed to do."

The Off-Highway Vehicles Act requires riders to take safety courses, pay a trail development fee, buy an annual permit, get written permission from landowners to ride on their property, bans children under 14 from driving except on closed courses and in the presence of a parent or guardian and requires adults to belong to ATV clubs to ride on Crown land.

Mr. Toope thinks that with all the licensing requirements all-terrain vehicles should be treated like scooters and allowed on highways.

Scott Wilson used to get his ATV serviced at Mr. Toope’s business. Now the closest dealer is in Halifax, a 75-minute trip each way.

"It’s really unfortunate. These are family-owned businesses that were successful and employed people locally. This is definitely creating some hardship."

makes me sick to my stomach,



Mark McCabe, Truro n.s.