Get ready for another tag and tow blitz
Posted September 23, 2015 1:00 pm.
Last Updated September 23, 2015 2:28 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The mayor is once again setting his sights on drivers who continue to park their vehicles illegally on Toronto streets.
Nine months after launching the first traffic blitz, Mayor John Tory announced Wednesday police will be launching another campaign on Oct. 5, targeting drivers who park illegally on major city streets.
“Police will be launching a renewed blitz on city streets and will be aggressively ticketing and towing vehicles blocking major roadways,” Tory said at a news conference outside City Hall.
Tory said it is “selfish” and “unacceptable” for anyone who chooses to park illegally and block traffic on city roads, adding that the centre piece of the plan to reduce congestion is zero tolerance.
“People cannot simply violate the law at a time of their own choosing and inconvenience thousands of other people,” he said.
“People listen when there are penalties for their actions.”
Tory said traffic congestion is a reality in every city major city, but that Toronto is “not going to accept the status quo.”
Police Chief Mark Saunders, who joined Tory at the announcement, said the areas between Bloor and Dufferin streets, the Don Valley Park and Lake Shore Boulevard will be saturated with a lot more officers.
He said 60,000 cars have been tagged since the first blitz on Jan. 1.
Having a car towed comes at a hefty price tag. The penalties for having a vehicle towed include a towing fee of $200 and daily storage of $80.
A $150 fine, which is up from $60, will apply for standing, stopping or parking illegally on rush-hour roads between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday to Friday.
During the last “tag and tow” blitz, drivers faced a fine of up to $230 to get back their vehicle, while delivery trucks faced as much as $1,000.
As is usually the case, Tory was once again confronted with questions about former mayor and current Coun. Rob Ford. This time, it was thrash talk.
Tory had promised to contract out garbage pickup east of Yonge Street if he got elected, but Ford called Tory a liar.
“You have a mayor that campaigned on it … in every debate said, ‘I’m going to privatize garbage’ … he’s lying to the public,” Ford told reporters on Tuesday.
At the Wednesday news conference, Tory said he would rather have a chat about honesty with Pinocchio than Rob Ford.
“If it came to my having a chat with somebody about honesty, and I had a choice between Pinocchio, and Mr. Ford, I’d pick Pinocchio,” he said.
