Mississauga, Ontario – Tow truck operators jammed westbound traffic on the QEW through Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington in protest on Friday.
Reports say hundreds of drivers took part in the protest that blocked lanes as they made their way to the Niagara Region.
The drivers were protesting new Ontario measures soon to be instituted that are meant to regulate the industry.
These new measures beginning this summer, will see four sections of the highways in the GTA become ‘restricted tow zones’.
Ontario Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney says the new tow zones will allow only a single company to operate within the areas, cutting down on dangerous practices like so-called ‘accident chasing’.
Mulroney said additional tow companies will only be able to operate within the zones with permission of provincial police or the government. The pilot project will run for two years with the potential for one-year extensions after that time.
The government is also drafting legislation to further regulate the towing industry, including exploring licensing tow truck operators.
Drivers that participated in Friday’s protest say these new measures will control the number of hours they will be allowed to work and that they will also be forced to provide a list of charges when assisting a customer, which currently isn’t required.
Officials say these regulations are meant to address the fraud accusations that are often present in the towing industry, though operators say they were never consulted while regulations were being discussed.
