An Ontario Provincial Police officer has suffered “life-altering” injuries after he was struck by a goose while riding his motorcycle north of Barrie on Thursday.

Const. Peter Tucker, a 20-year veteran from the Niagara detachment and a member of the force’s Golden Helmets Motorcycle Precision Team, suffered serious leg injuries, said OPP Commissioner Vince Hawkes.

He would not speculate on whether Tucker will be able to walk again.

“He is undergoing treatment right now,” Hawkes said outside Sunnybrook hospital. “But it’s going to be a long road for recovery for this officer and his family.”

At Queen’s Park, Premier Kathleen Wynne expressed concern over the accident.

“My thoughts are with the officer and I hope the officer is able to recover completely,” said Wynne, whose son-in-law is an OPP officer.

The accident happened around 9:20 a.m. during a VIP escort-training exercise with at least 14 other motorcycles. The escort was southbound on Highway 11 as it merges with Highway 400 when the goose flew into Tucker’s path, causing him to lose control and hit the centre barrier, said OPP spokesman Const. Kerry Schmidt.

Tucker was taken to Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie and immediately transferred by ORNGE air ambulance to Sunnybrook in Toronto.

The highway was closed for several hours, but reopened by 1 p.m.

The Golden Helmets is a 20-member team of OPP officers who tour the province showcasing their skills at fairs, festivals and parades.

With files from Robert Benzie