The Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association
A Brief History
Creation of association
The SSA is formed in 1971, under the name âSaskatchewan Snow Vehicles Associationâ (SSVA) so as to include snowplanes and other tracked vehicles. With the disappearance of these other vehicles, the name is later changed to the âSaskatchewan Snowmobile Associationâ (SSA). The association is originally made up of volunteers, dealers, and manufacture representatives to deal with issues facing snowmobiling.
The province develops organized trails within the parks; Greenwater being one of the first.
Beyond park limits
Outside of the park trail systems, snowmobile clubs begin to develop their own trail routes originally based on the need to host community events.
Looking provincially
Work begins to develop the first trail network in Saskatchewan between the province and the Porcupine Forest Trail Association.
Seeing a need to fund existing trail, and in the hopes of increasing snowmobile safety with better maintained trail, a user pay system is implemented. The system is not warmly accepted, thus beginning the lobby for government to make a user fee mandatory.
The annual Sask Snow Show begins!
Establishing programs
The province accepts the recommendations from the SSA to include a fee with registrations; this is widely accepted by users.
The Trail Evaluation Program is created which increases the safety of the trail system and significantly decreases the amount of snowmobile related fatalities.
The Provincial Festival becomes an annual event hosted by SSA member clubs throughout the Province.
Today
The SSA takes over classroom Snowmobile Safety Courses from the Saskatchewan Safety Council and helps create an online training option with Fresh Air Educators.
GPS tracking units are implemented for all the groomers in operation on the trail system. This information provides live grooming updates and increases operator safety.
The SSA partners with MapGears to provide an interactive trail map featuring real time data from groomer GPS units. The interactive map is then taken a step further with the creation of a mobile app, allowing trail map usage even without internet connection.
Looking Forward...
The SSA is very proud of how far we have come, our relationships with our Member Clubs, Dealers, Businesses, Families, and in our partnerships with Corporate Sponsors and the Province. We are excited for the future and look forward to a long term positive relationship with all of our partners and members.