Recent decisions by the City of London to refuse a business licence application by DNA Towing and Recovery and revoke a business licence from RMS Towing have been upheld following appeal hearings held on February 2, 2023.
These appeal hearings were requested after Municipal Compliance Services conducted a proactive tow truck business license enforcement initiative in November 2022 resulting in 92 by-law penalties and several business license suspensions. Additional appeal hearings have been adjourned to future dates in 2023.
The enforcement initiative followed the introduction of regulations to the Business Licensing By-law in 2021 focused on consumer protection and safety of the public and first responders at collision scenes. All tow truck businesses providing services from a collision scene in London are required to be licensed, and fees for service cannot exceed set maximum rates.
“These regulations were enacted in response to price gouging and issues at accident scenes which have been raised by citizens and first responders,” said Orest Katolyk, Director of Municipal Compliance at the City of London. “We will continue to ensure compliance with local and provincial regulations for the towing industry through partnered enforcement initiatives.”
Residents are reminded to look for a blue City of London sticker on tow trucks at collision scenes to ensure the tow truck operator is licensed.
More information about tow truck licensing is available online at london.ca/tow