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5| O akville B eaver | T hursday,S eptem ber 20,2018 insidehalton.com A proposed bylaw intend- ed to regulate towing in Oak- ville has been sent back to the drawing board. The majority of town council voted to get more in- formation and hold moreformation and hold moref consultation on the subject following a three-hour spe-following a three-hour spe-f cial council meeting, which was held Tuesday, Sept. 11. The meeting was held in response to a recent increase in the towing of vehicles from commercial plazas, particu- larly in Bronte. Several councillors said that during the spring and summer they were inundat- ed with complaints from res- idents who said their vehi- cles were towed after briefly leaving the shopping plaza. Residents have also com-Residents have also com-R plained about being charged around $400 to get their cars back. Others said they had to pay cash because other pay- ment options at the towing company yards were un- available. available. a Bronte BIA executive di- rector Ann Sargent dis- cussed the impact this tow- ing is having on Bronte. "We have seen everybody from young people who dofrom young people who dof not have the money to get their car to senior citizens sitting on a curb in the park- ing lot crying," said Sargent. "Bronte Village has been the victim of an onslaught of social media criticism the likes of which cannot be re- versed by positive advertis-versed by positive advertis-v ing. The work to restore our good name and our reputa- tion after this damage has been done - the cost of that is inestimable in our opinion." The bylaw would have put a cap on the fees towing com- panies are permitted to charge residents. These proposed fees in- cluded a maximum $300 for consent towing (i.e. towing following an accident or afollowing an accident or af breakdown) and a maximum $200 for nonconsent towing (i.e. towing from a commer- cial plaza). A lift charge was also pro- posed where a resident who arrived just as their vehicle was about to be towed could get their vehicle back for $125. In an effort to achieve greater accountability andgreater accountability andg consumer protection the by- law also proposed special li- censing for tow truck driv- ers, tow truck owners and storage yards. Another part of the bylaw would have required tow truck drivers when towing a vehicle to contact Halton po-vehicle to contact Halton po-v lice and provide their compa- ny name; the make, model and license plate number of the vehicle they are towing; the address where the vehi- cle is towed from; the loca- tion of the storage yard (which must be in Oakville); the time and date of the tow and any other information required. The bylaw would also have directed businesses that use towing to have one or more double-sided signs at each lot entrance alerting visitors that they will be towed if they leave the prem- ises. The sign would be re- quired to be clearly visible and include the name of the storage yard the vehicle is towed to and its phone num- ber. The bylaw would have al- so require tow truck compa- nies to accept multiple forms of payment. Jim Barry of the town's bylaw enforcement depart- ment emphasized the town cannot prohibit the towing of vehicles from private proper-vehicles from private proper-v ty noting this is a right the property owner has. While Sargent said theWhile Sargent said theW Bronte BIA supported the proposed bylaw council heard from 12 members of the towing industry who op- posed it and argued it would negatively impact their busi- nesses. Joseph Gagne, president of the Provincial Towing As- sociation, objected to the town punishing all tow truck drivers in Oakville with addi- NO OAKVILLE TOWING BYLAW COMING ANY TIME SOON A sign - one of many posted at plazas in Bronte, including the Sobey's lot on the north side of Lakeshore Road at Jones Street - alerts motorists that parking is reserved for on-site customers only. Graham Paine/Metroland DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com NEWS See TOWN, page 42 For a Free consultation call oakville: 905.842.2022 ToronTo: 416.644.3999 Denied Disabled Benefits? I canhelp. My teamof experienced lawyers can help youwith: •Disability Claims Short-TermDisability, long-TermDisability, CPPShort-TermDisability, long-TermDisability, CPP •Car accidents •Slip and Falls •Wrongful Dismissal Injured? injurY and emploYment law I don't get paid unless I getYoumoneY. oFFiCeS in oakville and ToronTo eMail: sspadafora@slspc.ca Shop onlinewww.conceptlighting.ca Oakville 243 Speers Rd. Oakville, ON Burlington 1515 North Service Rd. Burlington, ON Mississauga 5980 McLaughlin R In The Heartland Cent Mississauga, ON Installation S Plus...We Pay the Sales Tax! sta lat o S We give money back to pay for your installation* *See store for details. sauga 980 McLaughlin Rd. enter Near Loblaws sauga, ON Sale ! enTiRe SToRe iS on SAle Concept Lighting Furniture