Ottawa bans vehicle idling to combat ‘climate change,’ spite Convoy truckers
The City of Ottawa wants residents to snitch on idlers who leave their cars unoccupied for more than a minute. Violators will receive a $615 ticket for their first offence.
The City of Ottawa outlawed idling last week through bylaws that appear too silly to be true—all in the name of ‘climate change’.
As of the new year, unoccupied vehicles can only idle for one minute per hour regardless of the temperature, as first reported by the Counter Signal.
City officials are urging the public to snitch on their neighbours by dialling 311. Violators will receive a $615 ticket for their first offence.
Meanwhile, occupied vehicles can idle for ten minutes an hour if outside temperatures fall below freezing, and three minutes when between 0 and 27 degrees Celsius.
Update from @rkraychik on day 13 of the trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber.
— Lincoln Jay (@lincolnmjay) September 22, 2023
Lawrence Greenspon says the City of Ottawa “was attempting to freeze out the truckers and their families” with a by-law change by lowering the allowed temperature for idling trucks from 5 to -15.… pic.twitter.com/7CEbd9nvvM
Roger Chapman, Director of Bylaw and Regulatory Services, told True North they will field idling complaints and respond appropriately in a manner that is conducive to proactive enforcement of the bylaw.
“The City of Ottawa is conducting public education through its website and social media to make residents aware of their responsibilities under the updated Idling Control bylaw,” he said.
However, a May 2024 survey showed residents vehemently oppose the amended bylaw. Blue collar workers and small business owners remain perplexed by the initiative, noting cooler winters may force locals to idle their vehicles for longer than is allowed.
The most common area for idling was residential driveways, according to municipal research, followed by drive-throughs, schools, and grocery stores.
Lawrence Greenspon, legal counsel to Freedom Convoy organizers, earlier said the City of Ottawa “was attempting to freeze out the truckers and their families” by lowering the allowed temperature for idling trucks from 5 to -15 degrees Celsius.
WATCH: An Ottawa local describes the sound of trucks idling during the Freedom Convoy as an "assault on hearing" and how she slept with a mask on to counteract the smells coming up from her vents.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) October 14, 2022
MORE: https://t.co/5SMJFbETRY pic.twitter.com/wXtwo4e82q
A city spokesperson told True North the amended bylaw now aligns with “best practices from other municipalities,” citing Natural Resources Canada’s model idling bylaw.
The original 2007 bylaw is not available for public viewing, Rebel News learned. The amended bylaw was approved in a 15-8 council vote last September.
“By reducing unnecessary vehicle idling, we are lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving Ottawa’s air quality,” reads a city press release.
“If every Ottawa driver reduced daily idling in their vehicles by two minutes, carbon dioxide emissions would decrease by about 31.2 million kilograms a year – or, we estimate, the equivalent of removing 6,780 vehicles from our roads.”
All gas-powered vehicles operating within city limits must abide by the ruling, except for emergency vehicles, public transit, and armoured vehicles, among others.
Alex Dhaliwal
Calgary Based Journalist
Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.
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COMMENTS
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-01-06 21:15:54 -0500Let’s snitch to 311 when we see government vehicles idling for longer than a minute or after 10 minutes if somebody’s inside. These politicians and bureaucrats need to obey the laws like we do. Let’s keep our eyes pealed and report on these who figure they’re our betters.
