Currently, there is not much the Town of Hawkesbury can do about heavy trucks taking the wrong roads through town.
At the October 10 council meeting, Councillor Yves Paquette raised the issue of heavy trucks on streets where they are not authorized. In Hawkesbury, the designated route for heavy trucks between County Road 17 and the Long Sault Bridge is McGill Street and Chenail Boulevard. Heavy trucks are also permitted to access industrial facilities in the southeastern part of Hawkesbury. Paquette asked if police or municipal bylaw officers have the authority to issue fines for truck drivers who use streets not designated for large vehicles. He also asked if any prevention or enforcement measures could be taken, such as photographing vehicles or licence plates.
Councillor Jeanne Charlebois suggested the owners of offending vehicles be sent a letter requesting drivers only use authorized through routes. Councillor Antonios Tsourounakis agreed with Charlebois.
Chief Administrative Officer Sam Cardarelli said vehicles using unauthorized routes is not enforceable by police or municipal enforcement officers. However, he said staff are inquiring into what enforcement capabilities are available.
“We’re currently looking into what the MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario) and the province offer as to what powers the province has given to municipalities about photographing trucks and sending them fines,” he said.
Cardarelli assured council that staff will continue to research the issue. He said there are companies offering the technology to photograph vehicles using unauthorized routes, but it does not necessarily mean it is legal in Ontario to be used for that purpose.
Charlebois said the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) should also be notified. Cardarelli said it is possible to do that and added other options will be considered along with dialogue with the Hawkesbury Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment.
Mayor Robert Lefebvre said a discussion is needed with the UCPR Department of Public Works because of its responsibilities. Front Road, on both the west and east sides of town is under UCPR jurisdiction.
Lefebvre, who is also Chair of the Police Services Board, said he will speak with the OPP detachment commander and the Ministry of the Solicitor General—the provincial department which administers law enforcement, about bylaw enforcement possibilities.
“The most important thing is communicating with the public and these companies,” Lefebvre said, referring to drivers and vehicle owners.
“We cannot be the only municipality in Ontario that has this problem,” Charlebois remarked.
She suggested the Association of Municipalities of Ontario AMO) be notified so it can request the provincial government to give municipalities to enforce bylaws regulating heavy vehicle traffic.
Lefebvre said more research is needed so a recommendation may be made for council to consider at its November meeting.
“We’ll have to see what options are going to help us solve that problem,” Paquette said following the council meeting.
