Ottawa's transportation chair wants another look at city policy covering employees' photo radar tickets
The chair of the city of Ottawa’s transportation committee says he wants to find out why city employees who are caught on red light or photo radar cameras don’t have to pay their traffic tickets.
Coun. Tim Tierney told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron that he wants city staff to look into the policy, and see why other cities' policies differ.
“If other municipalities are able to do it, why are we not able to do it?” Tierney asked.
CTV News Ottawa confirmed last week that 989 city-owned vehicles were issued traffic tickets between January 2019 and August 2021, following an access to information request released by the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation (CTF). While the bulk of the tickets were for emergency vehicles, which are exempt under the Highway Traffic Act, at least 159 other vehicles were ticketed, accruing approximately $37,000 in fines, according to documents.
City solicitor David White told CTV News Ottawa in a statement that the city, as owner of the vehicles, is liable for fines, not the employees driving the cars, though they are subject to other disciplinary measures. The CTF said the policy creates a double standard between city employees and other residents.
The city of Edmonton requires employees to pay their own tickets and the city of Toronto pays up front but recovers costs from employees later. Tierney said staff should look into Toronto’s model.
“This all comes down to legal interpretation... (Our lawyer) seems to think that there are employment factors that say if it’s a city vehicle, we have to pay it, we have to put our own discipline system with an internal demerit system in place, but it still doesn’t meet the sniff test to me,” he said. “I want to know, from the horse’s mouth in Toronto, how they are able to do this and can we do it here?”
White told CTV News Ottawa that the city “addresses red light camera and/or photo radar speeding violations as disciplinary matters, in accordance with the relevant collective agreement or employment contract and its Discipline Policy,” based on the seriousness of the misconduct and other factors such as employment history, including prior discipline. The city introduced a new fleet safety program in April that includes a system “similar to provincial demerit points” based on unsafe driving and Highway Traffic Act offences.
Tierney will be introducing an inquiry at Wednesday’s transportation committee meeting. It asks that staff contact the city of Toronto to understand how they recoup fines from employees and their level of success, look into any legislation and collective agreements surrounding the discipline process, review the city’s current disciplinary approach, and offer recommendations to improve the system.
“It’s certainly not (about) revenue,” said Tierney. “When you get unions involved and all the extra costs involved in defending positions, it probably would cost the taxpayer more on a small number of tickets. This is truly a ‘principle’ issue.”
Tierney also said he’s been told there is no mechanism for employees who wish to pay their own tickets to pay them.
“If we find out the city of Toronto has a different interpretation of the employment laws than we do and has a mechanism to be able to do things… how are they able to get their employees to pay? I think that’s, from the feelings of my colleagues on transportation committee, we would like to see, at least, the answers and if we could actually put that in place here,” he said.
The city of Ottawa launched the automated speed enforcement program in July 2020. Between July 2020 and July 2021, 101,778 tickets were issued for speeding at eight locations across Ottawa, netting $5.4 million in revenue.
Money generated by the photo radar cameras supports Ottawa's road safety action plan.
The transportation committee meets Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
B.C. man used Bobcat as 'weapon' while chasing away homeless people, judge says
A B.C. man has been convicted of assault with a weapon after using a skid-steer Bobcat to chase two homeless people from his lawn, injuring one of them in the process.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
'Nobody should be getting away with murder': Grieving mother speaks out after son killed in North Preston, N.S.
A grieving mother is speaking out after her 36-year-old son was shot and killed in North Preston, N.S., Wednesday night.
Toronto-area dessert shop featured by Keith Lee forced to move after zoning complaint
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.