As part of its new contract with St. Marys, the OPP will no longer enforce the town’s bylaws for the removal of snow and ice and inspections and administration of taxi licenses.
In a letter to the members of the town’s police services board, acting detachment commander Insp. Brad Fishleigh said those two bylaws do not fall under the jurisdiction of police.
St. Marys Mayor Jamie Hahn, who at the board’s meeting last week contended the snow/ice removal was a safety issue and should be enforced by the OPP, said it would likely now fall under the property standards bylaw, and as such be enforced by chief building officer Grant Brouwer and building official Jamie Yolkowskie.
Insp. Fishleigh, in his letter, said the OPP was not intended to become the lead agency in relation to bylaw enforcement, but rather to supplement existing of future bylaw officers’ enforcement activities. Mayor Hahn said hiring a bylaw enforcement officer was something the town might consider.
Insp. Fishleigh, who reviewed all of the OPP-enforced municipal laws, also noted minor amendments need to be made to the town’s loitering, hawkers and pedlars and fireworks bylaws.