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25| O akville B eaver | T hursday,July 26,2018 insidehalton.com 16 Y INTERNATIONAL CENTRE 6900 AIRPORT RD DOORS OPEN 11 AM - 6:30 PM FASHION SHOWS 1.30 & 4.30 PM 416.716.5793 / 416.876.9779 SEPT 16SUNDA Y S AV E T H E D AT E 2 1 S T A N N U A L SHOW SUHAAG North America's Largest South Asian Bridal Fashion Event& session next Friday (August 3) from 12:30 until 2:30 p.m. at Sixteen Mile Sports Com- plex, where residents and in- dustry stakeholders could learn more about its plans. "Our goal of introducing tow truck licensing bylaw is to ensuring residents and visitors have safe, consistent and reliable options after a collision or breakdown, or when their vehicle is towed from private commercialfrom private commercialf property, while providing fair and reasonable regula-fair and reasonable regula-f tions to tow truck operators," said Jim Barry, director of municipal enforcement ser- vices. "We're looking at how best to stop what we call predatory towing," said O'Meara. While he understands that private property owners only want their customers to park on that property, the councillor argues there are better options available than towing. He said the town is offer- ing up its own parking bylaw staff to assist private proper- ty owners. The Ward 1 Coun. said Oakville council also recent- ly increased public parking on Marine Drive by 35 spots. Another initiative will see the establishment of way- finding to show where resi-finding to show where resi-f dents can park for free at the inner harbour and at the Harbour Banquet & Confer- ence Centre. "Whatever spots were lost at Sobeys we have more than added to the stock of what is needed so I am really not sure why there is still a need to tow vehicles away," said O'Meara. The Bronte BIA said it shares the concerns of resi- dents regarding what it calls "the current practice of pred- atory towing" in the Bronte community. The organization noted that while it has no jurisdic- tion over the right of private commercial lot owners and the manner in which they choose to protect their park- ing for their customers they are working with the town and all stakeholders in this matter to find a long-term so- lution. Halton police have em- phasized the towing of vehi- cles from private property is a civil matter, not a police matter, between the proper- ty owner and the owner of the towed vehicle. Oakville is not the only municipality where resi- dents are concerned about being towed from commer- cial plazas. In Burlington many com- plaints have been made about the towing of vehicles from the 571 Brant St., plaza,from the 571 Brant St., plaza,f which is home to a No Frills grocery store. Again the complainants said they were towed after they parked and then left the property, even briefly. The City of Burlington says they are not currently looking at any towing by- laws. NEWS TOWING A CIVIL MATTER, SAY POLICE Continued from page 5