Last week, Hamilton City Council continued its commitment to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by approving amendments to the City Idling Control By-Law to regulate the idling of vehicles.
For more, please continue reading below…
The By-law states that no person shall cause or permit a motor vehicle to idle for more than three consecutive minutes in a sixty-minute period. Vehicles found contradicting the by-law may could receive a fine of $100.
“Idling” means the parking or standing of a motor vehicle, while the combustion engine is running and is not being used to operate auxiliary equipment that is essential to the basic function of the motor vehicle.
“Reducing the idling of vehicles is a small but important change that everyone can do to improve air quality in our City”. – Jason Thorne, General Manager, Planning and Economic Development
An important amendment to this By-law includes the transfer of enforcement to the City’s municipal parking division. Since “idling” is more properly categorized as a “parking offence” it can be enforced under the City’s Administrative Penalty System and the ensuing ticket would be issued to the registered car owner.
There are exceptions to the anti-idling by-law, including emergency vehicles, vehicles assisting emergency situations (ie: tow trucks), transit vehicles, and vehicles idling in conditions where outside temperatures are over 27 degrees Celcius or below 5 C where idling may be necessary for air conditioning or heating as long as the vehicle is occupied, among others.
This amendment aligns with the recently approved Corporate Climate Change Task Force Plan, which targets a 50 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact our office here.