Surrey raises scrap metal bylaw fine to $50K from $10K to fight catalytic converter theft

Surrey has raised the maximum fines under its scrap metal bylaw to $50K from $10K to fight catalytic converter theft.

City council voted Monday to tweak the Scrap Metal Dealer Regulation Bylaw, Business License Bylaw and Surrey Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw and Surrey Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw to this end.

A study of the theft problem concluded that the “most effective approach” to fighting this crime is to limit how a scrap metal dealer can buy a catalytic converter, while at the same time ensuring legitimate transactions are not impacted.

Developed with the Surrey RCMP, the bylaw amendments create a ticketable offence for businesses buying catalytic converters contrary to city bylaws, raise the maximum fine, and “modernize” how information concerning transactions needs to be transmitted to police.

READ ALSO: Plan to target catalytic converter theft in play, Surrey mayor says

READ ALSO: Surrey RCMP and ICBC launched “You Etch It. We Catch It” campaign in hopes of deterring catalytic converter theft

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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