Mayor David Gillan at North Battleford city council's meeting Monday. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Bylaw amendment considered

City looking for ways to deter thefts of catalytic converters

Oct 25, 2022 | 5:04 PM

With catalytic converter thefts on the rise, the City of North Battleford is looking at ways to possibly fine people who are found with one illegally in their possession.

Council approved the administration’s proposal to draft a proposed bylaw amendment related to establishing catalytic converter permits at its meeting Monday.

The city hopes the bylaw might help deter thefts of catalytic converters in the future.

City Planner Ryan Mackrell discussed the proposal for the licensing bylaw amendment for catalytic converter permits in his presentation. He said administration has been working with the RCMP on the issue. It has also been in contact with the City of Leduc.

He noted Leduc made a recent amendment to its licensing bylaw to include catalytic converter permits to deal with catalytic converter thefts. North Battleford administration wanted to look at adopting a similar policy.

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“We’re looking at adding language to our licensing bylaw that would basically permit catalytic converters,” Mackrell said. “This would allow the RCMP to issue $1,000 fines for anyone to be found in possession of a catalytic converter and unable to provide proof of ownership of that part. This change would help the RCMP, we believe, by giving them another tool as they are out in the field.”

He said there would be no impact on existing businesses.

Mackrell added the bylaw would help the RCMP act in certain situations dealing with the problem of catalytic converter thefts.

City Manager Randy Patrick said the bylaw would help police target people at the street level, walking around with catalytic converters illegally.

“It’s really hard to prove a catalytic converter doesn’t belong to you,” he said. “Now you can’t just carry it. You have to say how you own it and prove how you own it.”

Patrick said the city’s fleet of vehicles has been hit by thefts of catalytic converters, which are expensive to replace.

He said city administration hopes to have the RCMP come back to council at its next meeting with more information related to the proposal.

Mayor David Gillan said he was supportive of administration’s proposal to draft a bylaw for council’s consideration.

“This is really to deter crime,” Gillan said. “It doesn’t affect the existing business community at all. So, I don’t want anybody to get the wrong impression that this is changing how garages or [some other business] deals with catalytic converters. It does not. This is really just to assist the RCMP and law enforcement. But the details will come out.”

Councillor Ross MacAngus supported the idea.

“Will it stop it [the theft]? No. But it will definitely help to curb it, because now [with the bylaw] if you are walking down the street with a catalytic converter under your backpack you are going to get stopped,” he said.

In the proposal, anyone found carrying a catalytic converter who fails to provide ownership information could potentially be subject to a $1,000 fine.

Council approved the city administration’s recommendation to draft a licensing bylaw amendment to add a catalytic converter definition and licensing requirements and to provide catalytic converter permits. The proposed bylaw amendment will be brought forward to the next regular council meeting for consideration.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow