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City looking for means to tackle nuisance properties

Feb 16, 2018 | 11:00 AM

A bylaw designed to target residential and commercial properties with fines or penalties that are a drain on city police, fire and bylaw services is under the microscope at city hall.

The primary focus is aimed at cost recovery for these services and to reduce problematic behaviour. 

“This isn’t a simple request, I understand, but it is a necessary thing to looking into,” Ward 6 Coun. Blake Edwards, who brought forward the motion Monday night, said. “Certainly there is going to be some complications we are going to have to address.”

Among these complications were questions on how the city would go about dealing with those who can’t afford fines alongside confidentially matters.

Before a report on the matter comes back to council, it will pass through the police commission, as, according to Mayor Greg Dionne, the chief of police has a few concerns as well. The main point of hesitation surrounds a fear people will stop reporting nuisance behaviour and how landlords will deal with the tenants who phone in problems.

“It is a complicated thing but I think we can get where we want to go with it by consulting and getting input from the public and stakeholders,” Dionne said. 

The mayor related the issue to one in the past where the city was faced with a rash of false alarm calls. He said police were responding to upwards of 700 a year, but after large fines were implemented, the numbers dropped drastically.

“Things like this do work,” he added.

Ward 7 Coun. Ted Zurakowski seconded the mayor’s comments and said while the initial report may not be everything the city wants, it is important to see what it can legally do.

“It is a burden on the taxpayers,” he added. “Any reasonable taxpayer would say if the police are being called to a residence, rental or owned, hundreds of times a year, and whatever way we can, we need to address that.”

 

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr