BILL 17
An Act to Amend the Off-Road Vehicle Act
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:
1 Section 1 of the Off-Road Vehicle Act, chapter O-1.5 of the Acts of New Brunswick, 1985, is amended by adding the following definition in alphabetical order:
“closed course” means a closed course as defined in the regulations; (circuit fermé)
2 Section 17 of the Act is amended in the portion preceding paragraph (a) by striking out “a person fourteen years of age or older may” and substituting “a person fourteen years of age or older and under the age of sixteen years may”.
3 Section 19.1 of the Act is repealed and the following is substituted:
Prohibition respecting persons under 16 years of age
19.1(1) Except as provided in this section and sections 19.2, 19.3 and 19.31, no person under the age of sixteen years shall drive an off-road vehicle and no owner or person in possession or control of an off-road vehicle shall permit a person under the age of sixteen years to drive the off-road vehicle.
19.1(2) An off-road vehicle, other than a motorized snow vehicle or an all-terrain vehicle, may be driven by a person who is fourteen years of age or older and under the age of sixteen years if
(a)  the person is supervised and accompanied by and is at all times within the clear view of a person who is nineteen years of age or older, and
(b)  the person is driving an off-road vehicle that is prescribed by the regulations as appropriate for a person of that age.
19.1(3) Where a person appears to be under sixteen years of age, the owner or person in possession or control of an off-road vehicle, other than a motorized snow vehicle or an all-terrain vehicle, shall demand satisfactory proof of age.
4 Section 19.2 of the Act is repealed and the following is substituted:
Operation of motorized snow vehicle by young person
19.2(1) A motorized snow vehicle may be driven by a person who is fourteen years of age or older and under the age of sixteen years if
(a)  the person has successfully completed a motorized snow vehicle safety training course approved by the Registrar,
(b)  the person is driving a motorized snow vehicle that is prescribed by the regulations as appropriate for a person of that age, and
(c)  the person is supervised and accompanied by and is at all times within the clear view of a person who
(i) is nineteen years of age or older, and
(ii) has successfully completed a motorized snow vehicle safety training course approved by the Registrar.
19.2(2) No owner or person in possession or control of a motorized snow vehicle shall permit a person who is fourteen years of age or older and under the age of sixteen years to drive the vehicle unless that person produces a document certifying that he or she has completed the safety training course referred to in paragraph (1)(a).
19.2(3) Where a person appears to be under the age of sixteen years and is unable to produce the document referred to in subsection (2), the owner or person in possession or control of a motorized snow vehicle shall demand satisfactory proof of age.
19.2(4) No person who supervises or accompanies a person under this section shall do so unless he or she
(a)  is nineteen years of age or older,
(b)  has successfully completed a motorized snow vehicle safety training course approved by the Registrar, and
(c)  is carrying a document certifying that he or she has successfully completed the safety training course referred to in paragraph (b).
5 Section 19.3 of the Act is repealed and the following is substituted:
Operation of all-terrain vehicle by young person
19.3(1) An all-terrain vehicle may be driven by a person who is fourteen years of age or older and under the age of sixteen years if
(a)  the person has successfully completed an all-terrain vehicle safety training course approved by the Registrar,
(b)  the person is driving an all-terrain vehicle that is prescribed by the regulations as appropriate for a person of that age, and
(c)  the person is supervised and accompanied by and is at all times within the clear view of a person who
(i) is nineteen years of age or older, and
(ii) has successfully completed an all-terrain vehicle safety training course approved by the Registrar.
19.3(2) No owner or person in possession or control of an all-terrain vehicle shall permit a person who is fourteen years of age or older and under the age of sixteen years to drive the vehicle unless that person produces a document certifying that he or she has completed the safety training course referred to in paragraph (1)(a) .
19.3(3) Where a person appears to be under the age of sixteen years and is unable to produce the document referred to in subsection (2), the owner or person in possession or control of an all-terrain vehicle shall demand satisfactory proof of age.
19.3(4) No person who supervises or accompanies a person under this section shall do so unless he or she
(a)  is nineteen years of age or older,
(b)  has successfully completed an all-terrain vehicle safety training course approved by the Registrar, and
(c)  is carrying a document certifying that he or she has successfully completed the safety training course referred to in paragraph (b).
6 The Act is amended by adding after section 19.3 the following:
Operation of off-road vehicle on a closed course by young person
19.31 Subject to the conditions prescribed by regulation, an off-road vehicle may be driven on a closed course by a person who is under the age of sixteen years if the closed course is operated by an organization accredited by the Registrar.
7 Subsection 19.4(1) of the Act is amended by striking out “subsection 19.2(3) or 19.3(3)” and substituting “subsection 19.1(3), 19.2(3) or 19.3(3)”.
8 Subsection 24(1) of the Act is amended
(a)  in paragraph (c.1) by striking out “subsection 19.2(1) or 19.3(1)” and substituting “paragraph 19.2(1)(a) or 19.3(1)(a)”;
(b)  by adding after paragraph (c.2) the following:
(c.3)  to a person who is supervising or accompanying, or purporting to supervise or accompany, another person pursuant to section 19.2 or 19.3, to produce the document certifying that he or she has successfully completed the approved safety training course referred to in subsection 19.2(4) or 19.3(4),
9 Section 38 of the Act is amended by adding after paragraph (f) the following:
(f.1)  prescribing the specifications or characteristics of an off-road vehicle, or any class of off-road vehicles, that may be driven by a person who is fourteen years of age and older and under the age of sixteen years, having regard to the person’s height, weight or any other characteristic;
(f.2)  defining “closed course”;
(f.3)  prescribing the conditions to be met whereby a person under the age of sixteen years may drive an off-road vehicle, or a class of off-road vehicle, on a closed course;
(f.4)  establishing classes of closed courses, and establishing or adopting standards for the designing and maintaining of closed courses;
(f.5)  providing for the accreditation and requirements for accreditation of organizations that wish to design and operate closed courses, and the revocation of such accreditation;
(f.6)  respecting applications for accreditation and the information to be provided upon application;
(f.7)  respecting terms and conditions to which an accreditation may be made subject, and the eligibility requirements to be met before accreditation may be granted;
(f.8)  respecting the inspection of closed courses;
10 Schedule A of the Act is amended by striking out
19.1...............
E
19.2(1)...............
E
19.2(2)...............
E
19.3(1)...............
E
19.3(2)...............
E
and substituting the following:
19.1...............
E
19.2(2)...............
E
19.2(4)...............
E
19.3(2)...............
E
19.3(4)...............
E
11 This Act or any provision of this Act comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by proclamation.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Section 1
New definition.
Section 2
Consequential amendment.
Section 3
The existing provision is as follows:
19.1(1) No person under fourteen years of age shall drive an off-road vehicle unless supervised and accompanied by and at all times within the clear view of a person nineteen years of age or older.
19.1(2) Except as provided under subsection (1), no owner or person in possession or control of an all-terrain vehicle shall permit a person under fourteen years of age to drive the vehicle.
Section 4
The existing provision is as follows:
19.2(1) No person under sixteen years of age shall drive a motorized snow vehicle unless the person has successfully completed a motorized snow vehicle safety training course approved by the Registrar.
19.2(2) No owner or person in possession or control of a motorized snow vehicle shall permit a person under sixteen years of age to drive the vehicle unless the person under sixteen years of age produces a document certifying that he or she has completed the safety training course referred to in subsection (1).
19.2(3) Where a person appears to be under sixteen years of age and is unable to produce the document referred to in subsection (2), the owner or person in possession or control of a motorized snow vehicle shall demand satisfactory proof of age.
Section 5
The existing provision is as follows:
19.3(1) No person under sixteen years of age shall drive an all-terrain vehicle unless the person has successfully completed an all-terrain vehicle safety training course approved by the Registrar.
19.3(2) No owner or person in possession or control of an all-terrain vehicle shall permit a person under sixteen years of age to drive the vehicle unless the person under sixteen years of age produces a document certifying that he or she has completed the safety training course referred to in subsection (1).
19.3(3) Where a person appears to be under sixteen years of age and is unable to produce the document referred to in subsection (2), the owner or person in possession or control of an all-terrain vehicle shall demand satisfactory proof of age.
Section 6
New provision.
Section 7
Consequential amendment.
Section 8
(a)  Consequential amendment.
(b)  New provision.
Section 9
New provisions are added to the regulation-making authority.
Section 10
Consequential amendment.
Section 11
Commencement provision.
Chapter Outline Update
7
Add after section 19.3 the following:
Proof of age19.4