$50,000 fines could stop growing illegal trucking industry in Caledon, mayor says

More than 300 illegal trucking yards have been targeted by enforcement officers in Caledon, but the mayor says higher fines and tougher rules could help crackdown on the growing issue.

A letter from Mayor Annette Groves sent to Deputy Premier Sylvia Jones shed light on the ongoing issues Caledon has with illegal trucking outfits, saying over 300 operators have been targeted by the town in recent years.

In 2021, the town and Peel Region looked to update zoning lands to support the logistics industry as residents in both Caledon and Brampton complained about a constant stream of trucks and noise pollution coming from trucking yards nearby.

The complaints led to hundreds of inspections revealing some 180 properties with at least one tractor-trailer or commercial vehicle parked or stored. Since then several outfits have been fined or shuttered, including one hit with a $1 million fine by the courts.

But Groves wants the province to increase the maximum for individuals to $50,000, or $100,000 plus another $50,000 for corporations to help deter illegal operators. The mayor also asked for municipalities to be able to “enable physically barring entry to properties” and “the ability to include all charges, fines, orders, notices, prohibitions, injunctions, court-imposed fines on the title of a property.”

Groves also called on the province for an the extension of Highways 410 and 427 “to alleviate traffic on our roads.”

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In 2021, Darzi Holdings Ltd. was hit with a $1 million fine after the Ontario Superior Court found the company in contempt of court. That same year a company known as 2423274 Ontario Inc. was fined a total of $75,000 for breaking town bylaws.

Along with enforcement efforts that have been stepped up in recent years, the town has formed an Illegal Land Use Task Force of concerned citizens to aid with the crackdown.

For more information on Caledon’s efforts against illegal trucking operators visit www.Caledon.ca.