Mayor Miller Gets Tough On Crime

It is obvious the squatters on the Toronto Island have expressed concern that the pollution from idling vehicles might waft over to the island.....I can't imagine with all the bullshit they create over there that they would notice the additional odors.

Police, city cracking down on idling vehicles

CTV.ca News Staff

Toronto police and bylaw officers are cruising the city this week on the lookout for people who leave their vehicles idling unnecessarily.

Under the city's anti-idling bylaw, motorists who leave their vehicles running for more than three minutes are subject to a $100 fine and must pay a $25 provincial surcharge.

Both police and the bylaw officers are conducting the five-day blitz, which aims to crackdown on unnecessary polluting and remind motorists idling is against the law.

"As everybody knows, the air quality in the city, and for that matter, globally, is very poor," said senior bylaw officer Peter Berardi.

"So the anti-idling bylaw helps to circumvent some of that and make people aware of it."

Contaminants from vehicle exhaust are major contributors to deteriorating air quality in Toronto, the city says, and recent studies by Health Canada and other agencies link a number of contaminants from vehicle emissions to significant respiratory health effects.

"It's important to remember that smog is not just a problem in the middle of the summer -- it's a year-round issue," Coun. Shelley Carroll, chairwoman of the city's works committee, said in a press release.

"By avoiding unnecessary idling, we can reduce the level of smog in the city that contributes to poor air quality."

City officials are asking drivers to reduce warm-up idling and turn off the engine when stopping for more than 10 seconds, except in traffic.

The bylaw allows motorists to idle in extreme temperatures. When the mercury rises to 27 C, people can keep their vehicles on to run their air conditioner.

And motorists can also keep their vehicles running when the temperature dips to below 5 C.

Those who are caught breaking the idle law more than once face a $5,000 fine.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Janice Golding