HomeMy WebLinkAboutCLD-035-11 Clarington REPORT
MUNICIPAL
Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Date: December 12, 2011 Resolution#: By-law#:
Report#: CLD-035-11 File#:
Subject: TOWING INDUSTRY REQUEST
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report CLD-035-11 be received;
2. THAT the correspondence received from Glen Morrow of the Ontario Federation of
Independent Towers be received for information; and
3. THAT Mr. Morrow be advised of Council's action.
Submitted by: Reviewed by:
tru tt' PCI'erk e Franklin Wu,
n ici Chief Administrative Officer
PLB/LDC
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T 905-623-3379
REPORT NO.: CLD-035-11 PAGE 2
1. BACKGROUND
At the regular Council meeting of September 19, 2011 a letter was presented to Council
from Glen Morrow, President, Carleton Automotive Towing and Recovery on behalf of
the Ontario Federation of Independent Towers. The Federation was seeking municipal
support to terminate a Province wide RFP on behalf of the Ontario Provincial Police
regarding tow services in the Province of Ontario. A copy of the letter is included as
Attachment No. 1.
The matter was received and forwarded to staff for review and comment.
2. SPECIFICS
On July 1, 2011 Bill 126, an amendment to The Road Safety Act, 2009, came into
effect. This Act transferred authority to issue long term licence suspensions from the
Ministry of Transportation to the Ontario police services for incidents occurring on the
provincial highways and any other roads under provincial jurisdiction. Included in this
authority was the ability to impound vehicles for prolonged periods when they have
been used by used by suspended drivers, without the prior authorization of the Ministry
of Transportation's Registrar of Motor Vehicles.
Because many tow operators offer services beyond the boundaries of their home
municipalities and therefore outside of the jurisdiction of local licencing by-laws it was
necessary for a provincial regulatory framework to be established. As the authority did
not already exist in the Municipal Act the police could not simply create it on their own.
The Ontario Provincial Police have therefore issued an RFP for the services. The terms
and conditions of the contract, once issued, would bind the tow companies to the
Provincial standards.
3. COMMENTS
The RFP deliverables require the services of trained personnel in a timely and
professional manner to safely remove and impound vehicles. The province will be
broken down into geographic areas with one authorized service provider per area. At
their discretion the service provider may sub-contract to other tow companies.
Once the contract is signed it will provide tow services on provincial highways across
the province that meet a uniform standard of price and service.
4. CONCURRENCE - Not applicable
5. CONCLUSION
The RFP does not in any way interfere with the rights and abilities of local tow
companies operating on municipal or regional roads. Currently assistance to the local
police departments for towing services are dealt with through a contract involving the
REPORT NO.: CLD-035-11 PAGE 3
local towing services. Durham Regional Police currently have such a contract for their
needs on local and Regional roads
Staff therefore recommends that the correspondence of Mr. Morrow be received for
information and he be apprised of Council's desicion.
CONFORMITY WITH STRATEGIC PLAN — Not Applicable
Staff Contact: Len Creamer Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement.
Attachments:
Attachment No. 1
Correspondence from the Ontario Federation of Independent Towers
Dated July 25, 2011
Interested Parties:
Glen Morrow, Ontario Federation of Independent Towers
Attachment No. 1
To Report CLD-035-11
Ann Wright
Subject: FW: We at OFIT are adamant in having this RFP terminated and with your help we can
achieve this province wide. Please contact me via E-mail and I will reply as soon as possible.
Thanks . Glen M.
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Dear 1'i�fsrJ�ar or Reeve t�r�tl CorrrrclT, � —
MUNICIPAL CLERK'S FILE
Once again,provincial government policies and directives threaten services in your munic
The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services has tendered a Request for Proposal (RFP) that would effectively
transfer the authority of vehicle impoundments from the Ministry of Transportation to the OPP in the form of RFP OPP-0460• This
will have a negative affect on the overall capacity of your local towing,industry to serve our community.
This RFP has been tendered without consultation with you, our municipal representatives, and without us, your local tow service
providers. It is designed for the administrative convenience of the OPP, not for the delivery of effective service on our roads. It
removes the quality control of competition from the industry equation by creating monopolistic control over the delivery of impound
services in 56 zones across the province.
Towers are an essential 4'h component in keeping the roads safe in every community, but unlike the other 3 components;EMS, Fire
and Police, we are strictly within the private domain and so must maintain and keep our equipment available for 24/7 emergency
response at our own expense., Tows generated within the community by your contracted police service are an important source of
revenue that supports your local towers and allows them to be there 24/7 for the community in times of need.
Simply put, if the OPP are allowed to impose their desire for exclusive, large scale impound lots on our communities, many local
towers will eventually be forced out of business, people will have to travel greater distances at greater expense to reclaim their
vehicles, and the number of local towers available to serve in times of emergency will be diminished. Not to mention the
environmental impact of towing these vehicles the greater distances this plan will impose.It is also important to note that the impound
facility for a zone listed in the RFP does not even have to be within that zone, thus creating further hardship and expense for those
needing to reclaim an impounded vehicle.
We would urge you to pass a resolution opposing t its RFP and the changes it proposes until such time that there has been adequate
consultation with the industry, and you, our elected municipal representatives.
We further ask that you send this resolution to other municipalities requesting their support, and that all resolution be sent to the
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services,so that this dangerous proposition can be halted.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding my firm position on this matter, and I look
forward to your timely response.
Sincerely, Glen Morrow,President
Carleton Autoia�otive Toiwing k: Recove7-)>
RR3 A ni.onle alit k0a1 a0,
613-253-0569 caenstorm.ca