Over-exuberant tow truck drivers have caught the attention of one Calgary city councillor, and he’s hoping to put a hook in “poachers” looking to give cars a lift.

Ward 14 Coun. Peter Demong has presented a Notice of Motion (NoM) slated for technical review at the Nov. 7, 2024, Executive Meeting of Council, asking city administration to look into rules and potential penalties around Tow Truck Tricks.

According to Demong’s NoM, so-called “poachers” are using scanners to intercept Calgary Fire Department calls for service, often arriving in advance of emergency personnel and soliciting tows from people on the side of Calgary roadways.

It goes on to say that these drivers are getting in the way of emergency responders, and even when they’re asked to leave, they first responders receive “verbal abuse” from poachers.

“It’s rapidly become a problem for emergency services personnel, mostly because they’re the ones that have to deal with these energetic tow truck operators that are trying to do their best to earn a living,” Demong said.

“Absolutely, I get that, but it also is a problem for constituents who are basically just trying to get over having been in an accident and then being accosted to have their vehicle towed in a manner that they’re not quite ready to accept but are under the impression that they have to. So, this is to give them some kind of solace as well as let emergency services do their job.”

In Ottawa, the police there have created a special task force and pilot project to watch over the industry. As of October 1, they’d issued 152 tickets under new regulations.

Issue not just a Calgary tow truck problem

Don Getschel, president of the Tow and Recovery Association of Alberta, and owner of Oil Country Towing in the Edmonton area, said this issue has moved across the country from Ontario after that province put in firmer tow regulations earlier in 2024.

“(Regulation) was something that was needed there for a long time, because these chasing activities existed,” Getschel told LWC.

“They were becoming violent. There were turf wars, there were shootings with tow companies, rival tow companies, shooting at each other. There was corruption with the police. It was a huge problem.”

He doesn’t think that a municipal Calgary tow truck fix will work. He said Edmonton’s had a bylaw on the books since the 1990s that prohibits tow solicitation and that you can’t go near a collision scene.  Getschel said the rogue tow operators want the tickets. They can start to build a case saying charter rights are being violated around the right to operate a business.

“Any time they fight them in Edmonton, though, the Crown ends up withdrawing a ticket,” he said.

“So, it’s really not worth the paper it’s written on. It’s not a deterrent.”

What’s exacerbated the problem in Alberta is there are few regulations around tow charges, Getschel said. That’s made it a juicy market for what he calls “predatory” tow operators. Thousands in unwarranted charges are being tacked on to bills, with insurance companies paying the bills without questioning the charge. He said often the service charges are being fraudulently applied.

Further, many of the tow poachers won’t deal directly with the customer after they’ve been hooked up, instead preferring contact with insurers.

Getschel said while he likes Alberta’s unregulated industry, he said it’s time the province gets involved with industry regulation. Especially because the practice is hurting legitimate tow operators across Alberta. He’s begun talks with the province on behalf of his membership – which is roughly 65 per cent of Alberta tow operators.

“I see the need for it now more than ever, because this predatory practice is not going to get any better without it, and it’s not going to stop,” he said.

In the meantime, Getschel said it’s important for car owners to know they have the right to determine which Calgary tow truck tows their vehicle and when. They also should contact the tow operators themselves to get a quote on the tow service required and the distance.

“I love our industry. I’m proud of our industry. These types of predatory towers really give us a bad name,” he said.

“I love helping people. That’s why I got into the industry, right? It just seems like these people are out there to take advantage of people.”

The Notice of Motion will come before Calgary city council in late November for debate and approval.