London City Hall issued over 90 by-law penalties against local towing firms during a business licence initiative earlier this month.
Last year, city council passed an amendment to the Business Licensing By-law, introducing towing regulations that focus on consumer protection and safety of the public, as well as first responders at accident scenes.
According to a news release from the City of London, the tow truck business licence enforcement initiative, conducted over the course of one week in November, zeroed in on licensing regulations including record keeping, impound yard requirements, and maximum fees for towing and storage.
As a result, 92 by-law infraction notices were dealt and 10 warnings were issued against a dozen towing firms. Other fines and business licence suspensions are also pending, the city said.
"Through collaborative and consistent enforcement, we will ensure compliance with local and provincial regulations for the towing industry," said Orest Katolyk, the city's municipal compliance director. "Business licensing regulations were enacted in response to price gouging and issues at accident scenes raised by citizens and first responders."
Before the project, 42 penalties and two licence suspensions were issued in response to complaints since July 2021.
All tow truck companies that provide services from an accident scene are required to be licensed by the city. More information about tow truck and impound yard storage business licensing can be found on the city's website.
