WHEREAS the City of Vancouver loses a significant amount of revenue annually because of unpaid bylaw fines; AND WHEREAS the unpaid fines relating to Bylaw Violation Notices issued by the Vancouver Police Department since 2003 is in excess of 870,000; AND WHEREAS there is a significant problem with disorderly conduct in the Entertainment District and, in response to this problem, the Vancouver Police Department issued approximately 600 Bylaw Violation Notices for disorderly conduct related offences which were referred to the City Prosecutor in 2006, most of which arose out of incidents occurring in the Entertainment District; AND WHEREAS it is critical that a meaningful consequence be attached to the bylaw enforcement process generally and specifically in order to deter conduct which detracts from the publics right to enjoy a safe and orderly Entertainment District; AND WHEREAS the goal of the City is voluntary compliance with City bylaws; AND WHEREAS the only method currently available to the City for the collection of bylaw fines is a slow, expensive, labour-intensive process: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities urge the Province and the Insurance Corporation of BC to approve the collection of bylaw fines in the same manner as fines imposed by violation tickets under provincial statutes.
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SOLICITOR GENERAL The provincial government has no plans to use ICBC to collect municipal by-law fines at this time.