Council prioritizes safety for road users through Roads and Transportation Bylaw amendments

Council approved several amendments to the Roads and Transportation Bylaw, including updates to dangerous goods routes, ticketing and towing measures, restrictions for tracking material onto roadways and e-scooter enforcement. These updates support the safe and effective use of municipal roadways, public spaces and transportation corridors.

Key Bylaw updates:

• During winter maintenance, illegally parked vehicles may be towed to the nearest lawful location, such as a nearby street. Vehicles will no longer be towed to an impound lot.   
• Increase of winter maintenance parking fines to $400.
• Updated restrictions for vehicles tracking materials on to roadways and public spaces. 
• New $500 parent/guardian fine for youth operating e-scooters and other miniature vehicles in a public space.
• Update of dangerous goods transportation routes and clearer requirements.

Updates to restrictions for vehicles tracking materials onto roads

Section 14.3 of the Bylaw which prohibits vehicles to track material onto roadways has been updated to include all public spaces and parked vehicles. Vehicles tracking dirt, mud and other materials, including industrial material on municipal roadways and public spaces may be subject to a $500 fine and cleanup costs.

Help keep streets clean and accessible by ensuring loads are tarped and secured and vehicles are not covered with excessive mud or dirt before travelling.   

Winter maintenance updates

This winter, illegally parked vehicles will be ticketed and may be towed to the nearest lawful location during winter maintenance operations.  This will significantly reduce towing time, prevent delays and help speed up winter maintenance progress. Fines for on-street parking will increase from $120 to $400 to offset towing costs and support compliance with parking restrictions. There will no longer be an impound fee as vehicles will be towed to a nearby lawful location.

These updates will help improve winter maintenance operations and align with the updated Urban Snow and Ice Control Program Policy.

Enforcement updates for e-scooters and miniature vehicles

Due to increased public safety concerns, the following updates have been made to the bylaws in place for e-scooters and other miniature vehicles:

• Parents or guardians who knowingly permit the use of miniature vehicles for a person under the age of 18 can now be fined $500. 
• Bylaw Officers can now impound any miniature vehicles that are being operated not in compliance with the Bylaw. 

Dangerous goods routes

The update to the dangerous goods routes is an important step in the safety of Municipal roads and public spaces. These routes haven’t been updated since 2002. Changes to dangerous goods routes now include:

• Updated maps and designated routes based on major roadways.
• Clearer guidance for commercial carriers.
• Approval now mandatory for traveling outside of designated routes.

These changes are aligned with provincial safety standards and will help provide safer and clearer routes for dangerous goods throughout the region.  

The updates to dangerous goods routes must be reviewed and approved by the provincial Minister before these changes come into effect. Once approved, it will remain in effect for five years.

To find out more about the roads and transportation bylaw and other bylaws, visit rmwb.ca/bylaws. If you have questions or concerns, contact Pulse at 780-743-7000 or toll-free at 1-800-973-9663.