Sunshine Coast RCMP don’t deal with a tonne of RV’s and trailers being impounded annually, but the process is a pain and is connected to the lack of affordable housing.
At the most recent policing committee meeting, Staff Sergeant Poppy Hallam asked the Sunshine Coast Regional District directors if they could find a suitable location to store these vehicles.
Sunshine Coast RCMP Sergeant Mike Hacker said towing companies don’t want to move these vehicles for a variety of reasons, including the hazardous materials contained within them.
“The biggest issue is, a lot of the tow operators do not want to tow these sorts of vehicles, particularly the RV’s because the cost of liquidating (destroying) the RV is prohibitive,” said Hacker. “Essentially, you have a lot of hazardous materials in a lot of the older model RV’s, typically things like fibreglass and freon.”
On average, six vehicles a year would have to be held for a 90-day period.
Hacker said people dump these vehicles, especially in rural areas.
“A lot of RV’s and or trailers have been dumped in rural areas for housing,” said Hacker. “I think if you went up on the B & K road, you would probably find half a dozen or more vehicles that are within walking distance of the B & K road.”
Hacker stated that Squamish council recently passed a motion that if an RV is parked on a street, the owner may be fined $10,000 dollars.
Problem vehicles include uninsured RV’s with stolen licence plates, those that aren’t roadworthy, or when those with driving prohibitions are driving them.
