Towing of vehicles impeding snow clearing operation in Toronto begins

The City of Toronto says it has begun towing vehicles that are impeding snow clearing and plowing operations after the big blizzard.

“We're encountering abandoned vehicles blocking plowing routes and TTC operations in addition to vehicles that are illegally parked along designated snow routes,” said a city spokesperson late Wednesday afternoon.

The city said the problem vehicles will be tagged and towed to a car compound and residents whose vehicles have been towed should contact the Toronto Police Service.

The powers to tow come as a result of the city declaiming a "major snow storm condition."

That means avoiding a tow and trip to the compound is on the minds of many who use city streets to park their vehicles.

“Last night I heard someone else got a warning for towing, that he was parked incorrectly on the road,” said Hamza Khan, who was out shovelling his car on Dundas Street East.

“We’re picking up a lot of vehicles stuck in the snow; probably where they shouldn’t be,” said Abrams Towing President Joey Gagne, one of the companies with a city contract.

Gagne told CTV News Toronto that depending on the circumstance, vehicles ending up at the compound could cost motorists up to $300.

Toronto police said tows are done in conjunction with the contracted tow providers and Toronto Police Parking Enforcement officers.

“It has to be a police officer, a Parking Enforcement Officer or a specifically trained and authorized Municipal Law Enforcement Officer (MLEO) that authorizes the tow and completes the required paperwork,” said a police spokesperson.

FRIENDLY TOWS TO START IN COMING DAYS

The city said friendly tows to fully remove snow will also start in the coming days, which Gagne said generally means relocating it nearby, but not always.

“The problem with relocating as you can see everywhere you go there’s nowhere to put cars, there nowhere to move your car, so unless you have a strategy, hopefully you have your own parking spot.”

To avoid a possible trip to the compound, Gagne recommends paying for a parking spot.

The said city staff will reach out directly to residents, where required, to provide an opportunity to move their vehicles prior to any friendly towing taking place.

“More information will be provided soon about how City staff will connect with residents,” said a spokesperson, adding as an example in 2019 bylaw officers went door-to-door to inform residents about any friendly towing.

The city says the snow clearing and removal operation remains in full swing and is expected to last several more days.

Toronto Mayor John Tory said snow removal is expected to start today on the Gardiner Expressway.

“The work has been ongoing 24 hours a day and will continue 24 hours a day until the job is done. 600 road plows, 200 salt trucks, 200 sidewalk plows are out,” Tory said at a news conference Wednesday.