Summerside floats idea of bylaw officer

The City of Summerside is looking at hiring a bylaw officer.

Current system not working, says Coun. Cory Snow

Natalia Goodwin · CBC News · Posted: May 08, 2019 6:40 AM EDT | Last Updated: May 8, 2019

A red brick building with multiple floors and concrete steps photographed from the street. — City staff will look at the issue and come back with suggestions. (Natalia Goodwin/CBC)

The City of Summerside, P.E.I., is looking at hiring a bylaw officer.

At a committee meeting Tuesday night, Coun. Cory Snow asked for the position to be created. He said he's heard from a number of residents concerned about the process of filing a bylaw infraction complaint.

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"The residents I've talked to have said I've been bringing this to city for years and years and years," Snow said

"The current system is not working. So that's where we need to consider making changes, when the current system doesn't work you look at possible changes to make things better for the city, for residents for everybody involved. "

Not for police, says Snow

Currently if a resident has a complaint, such as an unsightly property, they can call the city, but oftentimes the complaint will be sent to the police department who have to deal with enforcement.

"Sending a police officer out for that type of stuff, personally it seems a little much for me. It seems a little waste of the resource," Snow said.

Coun. Cory Snow brought the idea up at a committee meeting Tuesday. (Natalia Goodwin/CBC)

At the meeting, Police Chief Dave Poirier reported that 324 bylaw-related complaints were reported in 2018, with the majority between April and October. However none of those complaints has prosecution brought against them.

Some councillors at the meeting said they wanted to see the bylaws themselves be more enforceable.

The idea of a bylaw officer was sent back to staff for more research with the request of bringing solutions and costing forward to council at a later date.