Airdrie’s Municipal Enforcement (ME) team has reported an increase in traffic enforcement. They issued 95 more tickets this year compared to last year and introduced a new digital records management system to improve the tracking of warnings and citations.
"Now, instead of issuing verbal warnings that were hard to track, we can add them directly to the ticket and automatically record them," said Brad Tomlinson, Team Leader of Municipal Enforcement.
Tomlinson presented to the Community Safety and Social Services Standing Committee on Tuesday, providing an update on the city's Municipal Enforcement’s departmental priorities and operations for 2024.
While speeding has decreased slightly during peak traffic blitz months, enforcement on commercial vehicles has ramped up. A focus on safety inspections, weight compliance, and driver qualifications led to 84 inspections in 2024, compared to 70 last year, with a 63 per cent out-of-service rate.
In collaboration with Calgary police and Alberta Sheriffs, the team conducted joint inspections in April and August, with varying out-of-service rates ranging from 14.5 per cent to 72 per cent.
"Ensuring the safety and compliance of commercial vehicles protects our infrastructure and enhances public confidence."
The department has also addressed noise concerns with an amnesty program that allowed vehicle owners to have their vehicles tested for excessive noise without facing fines.
"We had 100 per cent compliance with the corrections needed after issuing eight warnings," he said.
Airdrie’s municipal enforcement has also responded actively to various community complaints, including 267 unsightly property violations in 2024. These cases, governed by community standards bylaws and the Municipal Government Act, are handled with a structured process.
Once a complaint is filed, an officer investigates, issues a notice to the property owner, and sets a seven-day compliance deadline. If the issue is not resolved, the city may issue a remedial order, giving up to 21 days for correction.
"We work closely with property owners, ensuring they have time and support to meet compliance," Tomlinson explained. "If they don't meet the deadline, we conduct a cleanup and bill the costs back through the tax roll."
Other animal-related complaints in 2024 included 53 animal attacks or bites, 196 animal-at-large cases (147 dogs, 49 cats), and 71 dog welfare complaints. The team issued 21 tickets related to these incidents. Additionally, there were 246 calls related to water restrictions during the summer, for which the enforcement team provided educational outreach and issued formal warnings to ensure compliance.
In terms of operational upgrades, the department has improved communication with the RCMP by gaining access to their radio channels and upgraded in-car digital video and body-worn cameras to enhance officers' safety and transparency.
"Better communication and technology upgrades have allowed us to provide more efficient and effective service to the community."
Training also played a key role this year, with seminars on commercial vehicle safety, animal protection, and vicarious trauma for staff. One officer is currently in the final stages of training to become a certified mediator for neighbour disputes.
In addition to traffic safety, the Municipal Enforcement team has tackled a range of other community concerns, such as noise complaints and unsightly property violations. The team has made significant strides in educating the public, delivering over 100 school presentations in the 2023/2024 school year, covering topics like bike safety, bullying, and pedestrian safety. In addition to these presentations, Municipal Enforcement officers participated in more than 20 community events, offering traffic control and hosting booths that allowed the public to engage with officers on various safety issues.
Traffic safety has remained a top priority for the team, with Municipal Enforcement and the Airdrie RCMP working together to address common traffic violations. These efforts have focused on speed enforcement, distracted driving, pedestrian and intersection safety, and vehicle noise.
This year's notable initiative was introducing a vehicle amnesty education day to raise awareness about rules regulating excessive vehicle noise. The team also increased patrols in school zones to enhance pedestrian and driver safety. Another critical area of focus has been commercial vehicle safety, with each team having a Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)-trained Peace Officer. This allows Municipal Enforcement to join forces with the Alberta Sheriffs and Calgary Police in conducting safety operations targeting commercial vehicles.
In addition to traffic enforcement, bylaw compliance and education have remained a priority, with the team focusing on animal control, community standards, and traffic bylaws. They also supported enforcing other municipal regulations, such as the waterworks and land use bylaws.
Throughout 2024, the team has dealt with increasing service requests, mainly due to the water main break in June and subsequent repairs over the summer. The newly implemented dispatch and call-taking system has allowed for better tracking of call volumes and service levels, helping the team manage the increased workload.
This report, presented for informational purposes, does not include immediate recommendations or budget implications. It provides a comprehensive overview of Municipal Enforcement’s work over the past year, highlighting the ongoing efforts to ensure public safety and compliance with local bylaws.
While municipal enforcement faces increased demands, no formal requests exist to expand the team. The department recently added three officers in 2023 to help with the growing workload and is utilizing new tracking systems to assess call volume and resource needs better.
"The needs are there," Tomlinson observed. "The expansion piece is something we're looking at, and the tracking system will allow us to demonstrate better whether more resources are needed."
The department also actively patrols high-traffic areas, such as those frequented by commercial trucks attempting to avoid weigh stations.
"Our main traffic member regularly patrols those areas and actively monitors compliance," Tomlinson said.
As Airdrie enters the winter season, municipal enforcement anticipates a rise in snow-related complaints but remains committed to maintaining public safety and compliance across the city.
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