May 5, 2021 —
At today’s City Council meeting, Councillor Stephen Dasko put forward a motion that Council ask the Province to enact further amendments to the Highway Traffic Act to directly target loud and modified exhaust systems.
In the motion, Dasko asked that Bill 132, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act which was passed in 2019, receive Royal Assent. The Bill includes a new section regarding the Highway Traffic Act 75.1 that would make it an offence to tamper with motor vehicles by (a) removing, bypassing, defeating or rendering inoperative all or part of a motor vehicle’s emission control system or (b) modifying a motor or motor vehicle in any way that results in increased emissions from the level to which it was originally designed or certified by the manufacturer of the motor or motor vehicle. The motion also calls on the Province to prohibit the sale of exhaust systems that exceed 80 decibels; funding to Police organizations to purchase decibel monitor devices; and include stricter penalty provisions such as a fine with a minimum of $500 and a loss of three demerit points.
“Excessive vehicle noise is unacceptable in our community. I feel that speeding and noise go hand in hand. We need a top down approach to assist our Law Enforcement Officers and ensure they are properly equipped to enforce these infractions both efficiently and effectively” said Councillor Dasko.
Click the link below to view thew motion.