AJAX — Out-of-towners who are lousy drivers may want to stay out of Ajax.
Ajax fire and emergency services (AFES) will soon begin to charge non-Ajax residents if they are in a motor-vehicle accident and are deemed to be at fault.
And, the fee isn’t cheap. The department will charge $477 an hour for each apparatus called to the accident, along with the actual costs if absorbent material, firefighting foam and medical supplies are used. Ajax sends two apparatus, one pumper and one rescue unit, to each motor-vehicle collision (MVC).
An additional $238.50 per vehicle will be charged for each additional half-hour and actual costs for materials used.
A report to council’s general government committee (GGC) by chief fire prevention officer Kevin Vaughan noted the department “currently does not charge service fees for attending motor-vehicle collisions on municipal roadways (both town and regional roads). An in-depth review of surrounding municipalities identified that a potential revenue source could be instituted by AFES.”
Ajax council approved the new fees at its meeting on Monday, Nov. 18.
During the GGC meeting, fire Deputy Chief Aaron Burridge noted the new fees would be in place for Jan. 1, 2020, but he added that it takes time to set up the program with the Ministry of Transportation.
Currently in Durham, the northern municipalities of Scugog and Brock charge non-residents involved in an accident, while Uxbridge charges both residents and non-residents. The three communities also impose an administrative fee.
No other municipality in Durham imposes such a fee.
The $477 fee is based on the charge the Ministry of Transportation imposes for accidents on 400 series highways. The $477 fee is laid for each piece of apparatus on the scene.
aughan estimated the town would collect about $228,006 annually.
Markham has a similar bylaw and collects an estimated $205,000 annually, while Richmond Hill collects $300,000. Both communities charge both residents and non-residents.
The fee could be cancelled by the fire chief or his designate where extenuating or compassionate circumstances warrant a waiver.
“Non-residents will be advised of the fee for services after an MVC incident when the fault and residency has been determined,” Vaughan noted.
“AFES recognizes that there is a revenue source that would offset operational costs by an anticipated $228,006 annually through the implementation of a service fees for MVC incidences on municipal roadways (both town and regional roads),” he stated.
“Determining ‘at fault’ is achieved through accessing the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) — Authorized Requester Information Services (ARIS) program, which maintains records for drivers and their vehicles, under the Highway Traffic Act. There is a current charge of approximately $15 per licence plate inquiry,” Vaughan said. “There will be times when MVCs will not be billable, due to human error or Durham Regional Police Services not posting the at-fault report.”
During the recent GGC meeting, Mayor Shaun Collier said, “We’re not going after Ajax residents. I want to make that clear.”
Collier added he was “really glad to see this coming forward. It’s non-tax revenue.”
He did question why the three northern municipalities were the only ones with such as program.
“Where have we been? Why aren’t the five lakeshore municipalities collecting this? Were we not aware of it?” Collier asked.
It’s relatively new in Durham, Burridge noted.
“Increasing revenue is at the heart of this,” he said.
“I do agree it should be non-residents and who are at fault,” Collier said, adding that if a non-resident is not at fault “I don’t want to penalize those people. We’ll absorb the cost.”
Burridge noted, “Customarily, (the fee) is sent to the driver and the driver will go to the insurance company” seeking reimbursement.
Link to original article on durhamregion.com: Non-Ajax residents could be dinged if they ding somebody