Bradford’s enforcement division ‘will need investment,’ staff say

In order to keep up with the continued increased in demand, Bradford’s enforcement division is going to need more help from council.

That was the message from Robert Belsey, manager of enforcement, on March 4 as he presented council with a report that sums up the department’s activity for 2024. That shows the town’s officers had another record year, as calls for service increased roughly 20 per cent to 3,601 from 3,003 in 2023 — the previous record.

“Looking ahead the message is clear: Your Bradford enforcement division will need investment to continue meeting the growing demands of our community,” Belsey said.

While he explained the division takes “great pride” in their work, shows “unwavering dedication” to making a difference, demonstrates compassion and acts as “ambassadors of positive community relations,” Belsey also stressed that they always look for internal efficiencies before asking for more funding.

He listed some recent examples, including bringing animal control in house, creating and implementing the town’s administrative monetary penalty system (AMPS) and renegotiating contracts to create and reinvest savings into the division — all as the average growth in calls for service have increased by an average of 15 per cent each year since 2016.

Of the calls in 2024 the most were for:

• Traffic — 1,640 (up 16 per cent)
• Animal control — 486 (up 23 per cent)
• Clean yards and property standards — 396 (up 13 per cent)
• Garbage/littering — 316 (up 56 per cent)
• Road occupancy — 186 (up 31 per cent)
• Zoning — 130 (down 20 per cent)
• Noise and nuisance — 102 (down 23 per cent)

Those 1,640 traffic related calls helped lead to 6,460 parking tickets, an increase of about 15 per cent over the 5,600 issued in 2023.

Ward 1 Coun. Cheraldean Duhaney praised the division for their ongoing efforts to deal with parking problems caused by some “unruly residents,” and pledged to back the request for more resources.

“We definitely need to get some more boots on the ground,” she said. “If that’s what you’re asking for, I will support you.”

The division also laid 91 charges under the Provincial Offences Act, an increase of about 42 per cent from last year.

“Bylaw enforcement is not an easy job, nor is it for the faint of heart,” Belsey said, noting officers frequently deal with encampments, illegal land use, rescuing animals, “vicious” dog bites and helping schools and parents.

Several councillors agreed, including Deputy Mayor Raj Sandhu, who said he has seen first hand the work they do and the pressure they face from residents.

On waste collection, Ward 5 Coun. Peter Ferragine called it “infuriating” to see garbage thrown along roads and ditches in rural areas, especially since there’s a waste transfer station just north of the urban area.

“Clean up your mess,” he said to residents. “Take some pride in where you live.”

The conversation quickly turned to the ongoing issue of enforcement around schools as parents drop off and pick up students.

Compared to 2023, in 2024 officers conducted 588 patrols at schools (5.6-per-cent increase from 557), issued 408 school-zone parking infractions (87.16-per-cent increase from 218) and provided 7,107 verbal warnings (415.37-per-cent increase from 1,379).

In addition to Fieldcrest Elementary School, Mayor James Leduc asked why newer schools such as Harvest Hills Public School and the rebuilt St. Charles Catholic School — both of which opened in September 2022 — required more enforcement.

Belsey explained there are a number of factors, including the size of school populations, the blend of urban and rural students, the designs of school parking lots and even the perception of safety.

While he noted kiss-and-ride areas work better when school staff are directing traffic, Belsey said community engagement is the biggest issue.

“At the end of the day, we as the community are responsible to ensure that these things are functioning safely,” he said. “The culmination of many small decisions can result in drastic outcomes.”

The division is also working to support the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s efforts to encourage students to walk to school through their On the Move program, and the division now sits on the regional board to advocate on behalf of Bradford.

Belsey expects that will lead to a new initiative in the town. A pilot project is underway, and while he’s “very optimistic,” it’s still “in its infancy” and he expects to provide a more detailed report in future.

The enforcement division is also responsible for issuing business licences in town, which saw a 9.33-per-cent decrease in 2024 to 68 from 75, with most for: taxicab drivers (26), taxicab plates (eight), temporary refreshment vehicles (11), and hawkers and peddlers (nine).

The division also issued 564 dog licences in 2024, a 26.75-per-cent decrease from 770 in 2023.

According to the report, the division generated $378,687 in revenue in 2024, about 7.56 per cent more than the $350,000 budgeted, and about one per cent more than the $374,873 generated in 2023.