Police say postal strike not delivering a break for photo-radar scofflaws By: Joyanne Pursaga Posted: 5:28 PM CST Monday, Dec. 2, 2024

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This article was published 02/12/2024 (314 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A nationwide postal strike won’t stop photo radar tickets from being delivered to Winnipeggers.

The fines are being distributed by couriers throughout the Canada Post work stoppage, Winnipeg Police Service confirmed Monday. A vendor has hired a service to deliver the tickets within Winnipeg, while WPS has also contracted a courier to deliver them out of town.

“It’s something that’s pre-planned.… We do prepare, in the event of a postal strike, for contingency planning,” said WPS Supt. Brian Miln.

It’s not immediately clear how much the delivery services will cost, since fines will be sent to a vehicle’s owner, who may live far from Winnipeg, said Miln.

“Anything outside the City of Winnipeg is, of course, an increased cost,” he noted.

While the city has warned residents to expect a tight budget in recent months, Miln said the extra effort to deliver tickets isn’t driven by a need to claim the revenue as soon as possible. Instead, he said provincial legislation requires registered vehicle owners to receive a photo enforcement ticket within a set timeline.

Specifically, the legislation calls for a photo enforcement ticket to be served within 14 days after an alleged offence, while the ticket is deemed to have been served seven days after it was mailed.

“We’re continuing our obligations under the program, in terms of the safety aspect of it (and) the enforcement aspect.… We’re still obligated by the legislation to deliver those within 14 days,” said Miln.

WPS notes payment deadlines for the tickets won’t change.

Ensuring enforcement continues is necessary to keep roads safe and respond to frequent public complaints about speeding, he added.

“It’s part of our overall traffic strategy,” he said. “As we well know, officers can’t be in many places at the same time. This technology gives us a measure to provide a level of speed enforcement, (addressing an offence) that is a very common (source of) complaint from the public,” said Miln.

Coun. Markus Chambers, chairman of the Winnipeg Police Board, could not be reached for comment Monday. His assistant said he was participating in interviews for the city’s next police chief.

Coun. Jeff Browaty, chairman of council’s finance committee, said the city needs to ensure regular business continues during the postal strike, which is in its third week.

“Types of tickets we deliver now through the email (have increased, such as) snow route parking tickets. Depending how long the strike goes on, it does (create) challenges,” said Browaty (North Kildonan).

The councillor said he just learned radar tickets were still being delivered but doesn’t think residents should be surprised.

“Even though Canada Post isn’t delivering mail right now, if you’re breaking the law, one way or another (you will get the fine),” said Browaty.

“Even though Canada Post isn’t delivering mail right now, if you’re breaking the law, one way or another (you will get the fine).”–Coun. Jeff Browaty

A city spokesman confirmed parking tickets will also be doled out throughout the Canada Post strike.

“Under normal circumstances, infractions captured through our automated licence plate recognition… technology, i.e. camera-mounted cars, would be issued by mail. However, due to the Canada Post work stoppage, these tickets are instead being issued by our enforcement officers onto vehicles,” wrote David Driedger, in an email.

Driedger noted legislation requires city officials to issue a final notice no less than 30 days after a ticket is issued, which will be sent once mail service resumes.

The city said placing tickets on vehicles won’t cost more. Tickets will again be sent by mail once the labour dispute ends, Driedger said.

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Browaty said parking enforcement must continue to ensure drivers don’t start parking in time-limited, on-street stalls all day long.

“Just because there’s a mail strike on doesn’t mean that we can stop managing parking in the public sphere. On-street public parking is a public good. (Companies)… depend on their clients being able to get to their businesses.

The Canada Post strike began on Nov. 15.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.

Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.