Southern snowmobilers spending more in northern Ontario

It's an investment that the manager of Kate's Kountry Kitchen in Warren east of Sudbury thinks will pay itself off in good time, thanks to the growing popularity of snowmobile trails in the near north.

Bonnie Waltenbury says the restaurant paid for a snowmobile trail that links their parking lot with the main trails last year.

She's looking for some of the almost two billion dollars generated in the Ontario economy by the snowmobiling industry.

Not only are there more sledders this year, says Waltenbury, many of them come from south of Warren.

"It's quite significant to have 20-30 sleds in the yard and that means there was one driver at least and maybe a passenger so that means 30-40 extra people coming in to eat," she says.

Barry Wilkinson, a club president in the Barrie district, says he's seen a bit of a shift from his area towards the north.

He says the trails have been inconsistent in the region around Barrie and Parry Sound in the past couple of years due to the weather.

He has noticed more sledders heading to Sudbury and North Bay instead.

"Might be in the range of 10-15% that might travel north when we don't have snow here..the more keen ones," he says.

That means spending on gas, restaurants and winter clothing also tends leave the area.

Increase in business a boon for local restaurant

Back at Kate's Kountry Kitchen, even a small increase in snowmobile clientele can lead to big gains, and a cramped working space.

"It gets really crazy as in it's really full out front," she says. "The restaurant is really small and there's times us waitresses have a tough time walking through with plates because there are so many people in the entry."

Waltenbury says she's pleased that her new customers, wherever they hail from, have turned a traditionally slow time of year into one of bustling activity.

For an interactive map on which trails are open in your area, go to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs website.