• So You Think I Should Vote?
  • QNetNews.ca
  • QNetNews TV
  • 91X FM News
  • QNetNews Interactive

QNetNews.ca

  • TwitterTwitter
  • VimeoVimeo
  • FacebookFacebook

Local

Ontario towing regulations to come in January

  • November 24, 2016 at 11:27 am

By Jaykob Storey

BELLEVILLE — In January, the Ontario government plans to introduce new regulations on towing services to protect consumers.

The goal of these new regulations is to provide greater oversight for towing companies. Some of the changes include:

  • All towing companies must accept credit cards.
  • Comprehensive price lists are to be made available to customers.,
  • Consumers must be informed if the towing company receives financial reward or incentive for providing a recommendation to a specific storage or repair shop.

Frankford resident, Tyler Frobel, posted an online review on Google about an experience he had with a local towing agency, “…it was very over priced and very shady. When it came time to pay I was told I needed to pay $125 down from $175; all for a job that took 4 minutes and required my car to be winched 4 feet out of a small patch of mud.”

Frobel’s experience is one shared by many people in Ontario. During a consultation with more than 500 Ontario consumers, the provincial government found that 84% felt that tow truck drivers and businesses should be required by law to provide prices to consumers in writing before the vehicle is towed.

QNet News spoke with Kim Reid, owner of McCaffrey’s Garage and Towing in Belleville. Her stance on the new regulations was mixed and she explained that in her view, “Different parts of the regulations are really good, and other parts are more of a nuisance and a hazard.”

One of the new laws she felt would be difficult to comply with was that tow truck businesses will be required to notify the owner of a vehicle within 15 days of towing or storing.

“It used to be 60 days. Which is fine, but in order to find that information, because it’s not always provided to us at the scene of an accident and we don’t always know who the owner is, we don’t know who the driver is, we have have to actually do lien searches on all of these vehicles now, to find out who has an interest in them. It costs money and time.”

Despite this, she still says that the regulations are an important step, because not all companies are as consumer friendly.

“I think in some areas it needed to be done, but that’s the thing, you can’t pass legislation in just some areas, it’s got to go province wide. There are definitely some companies in our business that are giving us a bad name. So this is set out to protect our consumers.”

While the regulations may not have a significant effect on her business, she did bring up concerns with the way these changes were being implemented.

“The Ontario government passed it, but didn’t assist in any ways to make it easier.”

The mystery pricing that Frobel took issue with is one of the most prominent new regulations. Until recently, many people were in the dark about how much they had paid for towing services, until the task was already completed. While a price list seems like a simple fix, Reid said that this may be as easy as one would imagine.

“I am now legally required to provide a price list to every customer, which is extremely difficult because every service requires different tools. So the price list needs to be in depth.”

No related posts.

Print This Post Print This Post

Tags: BellevilleLocalQNet NewsQuinte West

    Related Posts

  • Fans enjoy night out with the Legends of Hockey January 20, 2014
  • Festive season a time to remember those in need November 24, 2016
  • Quinte Humane Society looking for funding for new shelter January 15, 2019
  • Cat crisis has Quinte Humane Society worried October 17, 2018
  • Top Stories

    • Explainer: In the face of a long-term care crisis, Quinte region working hard to care for the elderlyFebruary 18, 2021
    • Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation surpasses campaign fundraising goalFebruary 18, 2021
    • Former Member of Parliament Mike Bossio is back in the race in Lennox and AddingtonFebruary 17, 2021
    • Quinte Access shows off rebranding of transit serviceFebruary 17, 2021
    • Mass transport cancellations for Quinte region following winter stormFebruary 16, 2021
  • Home
  • Local
  • Ontario towing regulations to come in January
  • Login
    Student Works
    Students
    • TwitterTwitter
    • VimeoVimeo
    • FacebookFacebook

    © 2014 QNetNews.ca. All Rights Reserved.