Al McLaughlin with the Manitoba Tourism Education Council spoke to Arctic Radio about Sled M-B 53, a certification program for northern communities and businesses that promotes snowmobiling tourism.

McLaughlin states the idea for a certification program was brought up at a snowmobiling summit in Snow Lake around four years ago with Thompson being the first community receiving the certification a few weeks ago.

He adds the program’s aim is to reach snowmobilers and encourage them to visit businesses in certified communities especially those coming from outside the region. He notes snowmobiling really is a big economic driver, it adds 314 million dollars to the provincial economy every year and when you think about it somebody coming up from the south to go snowmobiling in the north they can’t bring their home with them, 99.9 people won’t bring a tent so they’re looking for accommodations, they’re looking for meals, they’re looking for fuel, places to park their trailers and the certification just talks to all that and brings that out in the forefront of the community’s mind.

While Thompson is currently the only community to be certified McLaughlin says the process to certify other communities including Flin Flon and The Pas is going well.