The provincial government is providing funding to a pair of Inverness county groups for snow grooming on local trails.

The Ceilidh Trails Groomers Association will receive a $300,000 grant to purchase a new snow groomer machine that will be used to maintain the trails in and around Inverness, while the Margaree Highlanders Snowmobile Club will receive a $400,000 grant to purchase a second snow groomer machine for maintenance on their existing series of trails.

Inverness MLA and minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage Allan MacMaster said snowmobiling in Nova Scotia generates about $60 million annually and is a key driver of our growing winter tourism, adding the investments build on the thousands of volunteer hours given each year to keep the trails in top condition.