Parade to protest: Tow trucks sound their horns to protest a proposed new by-law in CBRM
More than a dozen tow trucks from different companies paraded through the streets of Sydney, N.S. in protest and in unity Tuesday. They’re concerned about a purposed by-law they say would make them pay more to operate in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
“We feel it’s a tax grab, because we already pay these fees to the Nova Scotia Government,” says Stephen Jamael, the owner of Jamael’s Towing in Sydney.
The tow truck licensing bylaw was on the agenda to be discussed at council Tuesday night, but that has since changed.
Operators say the bylaw includes an annual fee, driver accreditation and a flat rate that could cost the consumer more.
“Doing quick math, if you have 10 tow trucks, the new cost per truck is the better part of a thousand dollars, so if you have 10 trucks that’s 10 thousand dollars before you even turn your wheel,” says Frank Campbell, a tow truck operator.
Christina Lamey is the communications officer for the municipality.
“There's some further regulation going to be coming from the province in regards to the traffic safety act, so that is going to impact towing fees, impound fees, and rules around seizure,” says Lamey.
The CBRM says removing the discussion off of council agenda Tuesday night will give them the opportunity to open further dialogue with people in the industry who have concerns.
“The by-law is to put more consistency into the cost of towing, seizure and impounding of vehicles, particularly after traffic accidents, which deals with the police service,” says Lamey.
Tow truck operators feel they should've been consulted about the changes, and say it's unfair to compare the CBRM to the way bigger cities operate and regulate towing companies.
“What is going to happen is all of the small tow companies, most of them are going to end up going bankrupt over this,” says Kim Withrow, a tow truck operator.
There is no clear date as to when the towing bylaw will be back before council.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.