Rising complaints about dangerous street racing and illegal car rallies have spurred action in Brampton, as Peel police say they have increased patrols and plan to impose hefty new fines introduced by city council on drivers causing nuisance.
Until last week, Brampton’s blanket public nuisance bylaw had offenders facing fines that started at $300. Now, drivers holding illegal car rallies, racing, causing noise or damaging public property could face fines ranging from $800 to $2,000.
Coun. Rowena Santos said the fines will help the city to put the brakes on illegal car rallies that police have raised as a serious concern for public safety.
“We’re not ‘Fast and Furious,'” Santos said to CBC News. “We get lots of complaints from residents who wake up in the middle of the night to screeching cars and clearly people who are speeding on our roads.”
In May, Peel police launched an initiative aimed at curbing dangerous driving that included strategic enforcement and “zero tolerance for dangerous driving behaviours and street racing activities,” according to a news release.
Police say they are welcoming the new fines.
“[Peel Regional Police] has conducted strategic enforcement blitz[es] across the region which have proven effective,” Const. Ty Bell-Morena said in an email to CBC News.
In a July presentation at city hall, Sgt. Sean Rice said police issued over 22,000 Highway Traffic Act charges in the first half of 2024, over half of which were in Brampton.
Rice told city council that over 1,300 of those charges were for noisy mufflers and over 900 for stunt driving and racing, a number consistent with previous years.
In the month of June alone, Rice said Peel police attended 21 car rallies and plaza takeovers, when a number of drivers take over a public space to perform stunts.
“Car rallies and takeover events continue to be a public safety concern in Brampton and across Peel Region,” Rice said during his presentation. “At some of these rallies, fireworks and gasoline were used to excite and encourage unruly behaviour.”
Vaughan is bringing in new bylaws to crack down on car rallies. The city has seen an increase in the gatherings, which often include drivers engaging in dangerous stunt driving. The changes mean spectators or people whose vehicles are at a rally are subject to fines. CBC Toronto’s Chris Glover has more.
Rice asked council to look at nearby Vaughan, which introduced similarly hefty fines in April that led to a decrease in car rallies.
He said 30 drivers at one rally faced 42 charges and some $38,000 in fines.
City staff compared the differences between Brampton and Vaughan’s fines and proposed an increase, which council ratified in late September.
“We wanted to make sure that we were equivalent to Vaughan, because we know that when Vaughan cracks down on these rallies and street racing, it’s just going to seep over into Brampton,” Santos said.
Road safety advocate Manan Gupta said he welcomes the changes to Brampton’s nuisance bylaw.
“It is a step in the right direction,” he said.
Car rallies in plazas have been a safety concern for many residents, Gupta said.
“An ordinary person who wants to go to those plazas for shopping with their families, they don’t feel safe,” Gupta said. “Many of these illegal rallies turn into activities where there is loud noise.”
‘We have to send people a strong message’
Coun. Martin Medeiros told CBC News increased fines combined with the city installing more speed cameras will send a message to reckless drivers about the consequences.
The city has plans to install a total of 135 new Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras by the summer of 2025. The city currently has 20 speed cameras in operation.
“I’m happy that we are giving stiffer fines here in Brampton,” Medeiros said. “We have to send people a strong message, and [there is] no stronger message than hitting their pocketbook.”