Inspections, Unsafe Vehicles Sect 82

82. (1) In this section,

"commercial motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in subsection 16 (1); ("vehicule utilitaire")

"operator" means,

(a) the person directly or indirectly responsible for the operation of a commercial motor vehicle, including the conduct of the driver of, and the carriage of goods or passengers, if any, in, the commercial motor vehicle or combination of vehicles, and

(b) in the absence of evidence to the contrary, where no CVOR certificate, as defined in subsection 16 (1), or lease applicable to the commercial motor vehicle, is produced, the holder of the plate portion of the permit for the commercial motor vehicle. ("utilisateur") 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(2) Every police officer and every officer appointed for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act may require the driver of any motor vehicle or motor assisted bicycle to stop, move the vehicle to a safe location as directed by the police officer or officer and submit the vehicle, together with its equipment and any vehicle drawn by it, to the examinations and tests that the police officer or officer may consider expedient. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(3) Every police officer and every officer appointed for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act may require the owner of a motor vehicle, motor assisted bicycle or vehicle drawn by a motor vehicle and the operator of a commercial motor vehicle to submit the vehicle, together with its equipment and, in the case of a commercial motor vehicle, any vehicle drawn by it, to the examinations and tests that the police officer or officer may consider expedient. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(4) Where any vehicle examined or tested under subsection (2) or (3), or any of its equipment, is found not to be in compliance with the requirements of this Act or the regulations, the police officer or officer making the examinations or tests may require the owner or operator of the vehicle to have the vehicle or its equipment repaired and to,

(a) submit the vehicle for further examinations and tests to satisfy a police officer or officer appointed for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act that the vehicle and its equipment comply with the requirements of this Act and the regulations; or

(b) submit evidence to the person or office specified by the police officer or officer that the vehicle and its equipment comply with the requirements of this Act and the regulations. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(5) Where any vehicle examined or tested under clause (4) (a), or any of its equipment, is found still not to be in compliance with the requirements of this Act or the regulations, the police officer or officer making the examinations or tests may require the owner or operator of the vehicle to have the vehicle or its equipment repaired and to submit evidence to the person or office specified by the police officer or officer that the vehicle and its equipment comply with the requirements of this Act and the regulations. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(6) A police officer or officer appointed for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act shall serve written notice in an approved form of a requirement under subsection (3), (4) or (5). 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(7) Service of a notice under subsection (6) to the driver of the vehicle shall be deemed to be service on the owner and operator, if any, of the vehicle. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(8) The driver of a vehicle submitted for examinations and tests as required under subsection (2), (3) or (4) and any other person in charge of the vehicle who is present shall, if directed by a police officer or officer appointed for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this Act, assist with the examinations and tests of the vehicle and of its equipment. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(9) Every person is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not more than $1,000 who,

(a) refuses or fails to comply with a requirement made under subsection (2), (3), (4), (5), (8) or (12); or

(b) contravenes an order or prohibition made under subsection (12). 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(10) Despite subsection (9), every person is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $400 and not more than $20,000 who, in respect of a commercial motor vehicle or a vehicle drawn by a commercial motor vehicle,

(a) refuses or fails to comply with a requirement made under subsection (2), (3), (4), (5), (8) or (12); or

(b) contravenes an order or prohibition made under subsection (12). 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(11) Despite subsections (9) and (10), a person is not guilty of an offence for refusing or failing to comply with a requirement under subsection (3), (4) or (5) unless the police officer or officer appointed for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act gave the person a written notice as required by subsection (6). 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(12) Where any vehicle examined or tested under subsection (2), (3) or (4), or any of its equipment, is found to have a prescribed defect or to be in a dangerous or unsafe condition, with or without a prescribed defect, the police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act making the examinations or tests may,

(a) require the driver, owner or operator of the vehicle to have the prescribed defect repaired and the vehicle and its equipment placed in a safe condition;

(b) order the vehicle to be removed from the highway; and

(c) prohibit the operation of the vehicle on the highway until the prescribed defect has been repaired and the vehicle and its equipment are in a safe condition. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(13) Where the operation of a vehicle has been prohibited under subsection (12), the police officer or officer may,

(a) seize the number plates of the vehicle; and

(b) remove the vehicle inspection sticker, or comparable device issued by another jurisdiction, from the vehicle. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

(14) The Minister may require that forms approved by the Minister be used for any of the purposes of this section. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

Note: On a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor, subsection (14) is repealed by the Statutes of Ontario, 2008, chapter 17, section 41. See: 2008, c. 17, ss. 41, 49.

(15) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations,

(a) prescribing the forms and kinds of evidence that may be required under clause (4) (b) and subsection (5) and prescribing rules for submitting the evidence to the person or office specified;

(b) prescribing the methods and rules for service of notices required to be served under this section;

(c) prescribing types of defects for the purposes of subsection (12);

(d) classifying persons and vehicles, exempting any class of person or class of vehicle from any requirement or provision of this section or of any regulation made under this section and prescribing conditions for any such exemption and prescribing different requirements for different classes of persons or vehicles. 1999, c. 12, Sched. R, s. 14.

82.1 (1) In this section,

"commercial motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in subsection 16 (1); ("vehicule utilitaire")

"operator" means,

(a) the person directly or indirectly responsible for the operation of a commercial motor vehicle, including the conduct of the driver of, and the carriage of goods or passengers, if any, in, the commercial motor vehicle or combination of vehicles, and

(b) in the absence of evidence to the contrary, where no CVOR certificate, as defined in subsection 16 (1), or lease applicable to a commercial motor vehicle, is produced, the holder of the plate portion of the permit for the commercial motor vehicle; ("utilisateur")

"owner" means the person whose name appears on the certificate of registration for the vehicle, and, where the certificate of registration for the vehicle consists of a vehicle portion and plate portion, means the person whose name appears on the vehicle portion; ("propri©taire")

"permit" means the permit issued under subsection 7 (7). ("certificat dimmatriculation") 1997, c. 12, s. 10; 2002, c. 18, Sched. P, s. 23.

(2) In exercising his or her powers under section 82, a police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act may, at any time, require the driver of a commercial motor vehicle being driven on a highway to stop for inspection and the driver of the vehicle, when signalled or requested to stop by the officer, who is readily identifiable as such, shall immediately come to a safe stop. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(3) A police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act may, at any time before, during or after inspecting a commercial motor vehicle or trailer, direct the driver of the commercial motor vehicle to drive it and to draw the attached trailer, if any, to another location where the inspection will be carried out or continued or the vehicles load will be removed, or any of them. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(4) The police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act may, at the location where the commercial motor vehicle was first stopped or at the location to which it was directed, inspect the commercial motor vehicle and its trailer for critical defects. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(5) The driver and any other person in charge of the commercial motor vehicle who is present shall assist the police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act in his or her inspection of the commercial motor vehicle and its trailer. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(6) If the police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act finds that the commercial motor vehicle or trailer has one or more critical defect, the vehicle shall be deemed to have been found to be in dangerous or unsafe condition under section 82, but instead of exercising the powers set out in subsections 82 (2) and (5), he or she shall forthwith,

(a) notify the Registrar of the findings or cause the Registrar to be notified;

(b) seize the number plates of the vehicle that has the critical defect or defects and remove its vehicle inspection sticker or comparable device issued by another jurisdiction; and

(c) detain the vehicle that has the critical defect or defects until the Registrar issues an order under subsection (7). 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(7) Upon notification under subsection (6), the Registrar may, without a hearing, issue an order to release the vehicle or issue an order to impound the vehicle and suspend the vehicle portion of its permit as follows:

1. For 15 days, if the vehicle has not previously been impounded under this section within a prescribed period.

2. For 30 days, if the vehicle has been impounded once under this section within a prescribed period.

3. For 60 days, if the vehicle has been impounded two or more times under this section within a prescribed period. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(8) Upon issuing an order to impound and suspend under subsection (7), the Registrar shall suspend the vehicle portion of the permit of the vehicle that is subject to the order, and the suspension shall be effective when the order is issued. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(9) The order to impound and suspend issued under this section is intended to promote compliance with the safety standards set out in and under this Act and to thereby safeguard the public and does not constitute an alternative to any proceeding or penalty arising from the same circumstances or around the same time. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(10) The Registrar shall notify a police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act of an order made under subsection (7) and shall send a copy of the order to the owner and operator of the commercial motor vehicle at the most recent address for them appearing in the records of the Ministry. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(11) Upon notification of the Registrars order to release the vehicle, a police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act shall forthwith release the vehicle to its owner, whereupon the provisions of section 82 apply. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(12) Upon notification of the Registrars order to impound and suspend, a police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act shall serve the order or notice of it on the driver of the vehicle. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(13) Service of the order, or notice of it, on the driver of the commercial motor vehicle shall be deemed to be service on and sufficient notice to the operator and owner of the commercial motor vehicle and trailer. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(14) If the commercial motor vehicle or trailer that is the subject of the order to impound and suspend contains goods, the police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act may require the driver and any other person present who is in charge of the vehicle to surrender all documents in his or her possession or in the vehicle that relate to the operation of the vehicle or to the carriage of the goods and to furnish all information within that persons knowledge relating to the details of the current trip and the ownership of the goods. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(15) Upon being served, or being deemed to have been served, with the order to impound and suspend, or notice of it, the operator of the vehicle shall forthwith remove the load from the commercial motor vehicle or trailer, or both, and from the inspection site. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(16) If the goods are dangerous goods, within the meaning of the Dangerous Goods Transportation Act, the operator shall remove them in accordance with that Act. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(17) If, in the opinion of a police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act, the operator fails to remove the load as required by subsection (15) within a reasonable time after being served or being deemed to have been served with the order to impound and suspend, or notice of it, the officer may cause the load to be removed and stored or disposed of at the cost and risk of the operator. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(18) If the police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act is of the opinion that the operator has not made appropriate arrangements for the removal of the load, having regard to the nature of the goods, including the fact that they are or appear to be dangerous goods, within the meaning of the Dangerous Goods Transportation Act, or are perishable, the officer may cause the load to be removed, stored or otherwise disposed of at the cost and risk of the operator. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(19) Once the load has been removed, the commercial motor vehicle or trailer shall, at the cost and risk of the owner,

(a) be removed to an impound facility as directed by a police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act; and

(b) be impounded for the period set out in the order to impound and suspend or until ordered to be released by the Registrar. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(20) Any personal property that is left in the impounded commercial motor vehicle or trailer and that is not attached to or used in connection with its operation shall, upon request and proof of ownership, be made available, at reasonable times, to the owner of the property. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(21) The owner of a vehicle impounded under this section may, on notice to the Registrar, apply to the Ontario Court (General Division) for an order directing the Registrar to release the vehicle and reinstate the vehicle portion of its permit. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(22) The Registrar may, on his or her request, be made a party to an application under subsection (21). 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(23) On an application being made under subsection (21), the court may make the order applied for,

(a) if the owner has also commenced an appeal under section 50.3; and

(b) on condition that the owner deposit with the court security in the prescribed form and in the amount determined by the court, which shall not be less than $5,000 or more than $10,000. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(24) If the court makes the order requested, the Registrar, on being served with a copy of the order by the owner of the vehicle, shall,

(a) order that the vehicle be released to its owner from the impound facility; and

(b) reinstate the vehicle portion of the permit. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(25) If the vehicle remains impounded for the period set out in the order to impound and suspend and no order is made under subsection (24) or if an order is made under subsection (24) but the Registrar later orders the vehicle returned to the impound facility under section 50.3, the Registrar shall, upon the expiry of the period of impoundment or remainder of the period of impoundment,

(a) order that the vehicle be released to its owner from the impound facility; and

(b) reinstate the vehicle portion of the permit. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(26) Despite being served with an order under subsection (24) or (25) by the owner of the vehicle, the person who operates the impound facility is not required to release the vehicle to the owner until the owner pays the removal and impound costs related to the Registrars order to impound and suspend. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(27) Despite the release of the vehicle and the reinstatement of the vehicle portion of the permit, no person shall drive or operate the vehicle on a highway until it has been placed in a safe condition. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(28) The costs incurred by the person who operates the impound facility in respect of an order to impound and suspend under this section are a lien on the vehicle, which may be enforced in the manner provided under Part III of the Repair and Storage Liens Act. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(29) The costs incurred by the Crown in removing, storing or disposing of a load from a commercial motor vehicle or trailer under subsection (17) or (18) are a debt due to the Crown and may be recovered by the Crown in any court of competent jurisdiction. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(30) Persons who provide removal services or load removal services or who operate impound facilities, and their subcontractors, are independent contractors and not agents of the Ministry for the purposes of this section; such persons shall not charge more for their services in connection with this section than is permitted by regulation. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(31) No action or other proceeding for damages shall be instituted against the Registrar or any employee of the Ministry for any act done in good faith in the execution or intended execution of his or her duty under this section or for any alleged neglect or default in the execution in good faith of that duty. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(32) Despite subsections 5 (2) and (4) of the Proceedings Against the Crown Act, subsection (31) does not relieve the Crown of liability in respect of a tort committed by a person mentioned in that subsection to which it would otherwise be subject. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(33) Every person who fails to comply with subsection (2), (5) or (15), or with a requirement or direction of a police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act under subsection (3) or (14), is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $20,000 and in addition the persons drivers licence may be suspended for a period of not more than six months. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(34) Every person who drives or operates or removes a commercial motor vehicle or trailer that is subject to an order to impound and suspend under this section and every person who causes or permits such a commercial motor vehicle or trailer to be driven, operated or removed is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $20,000. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(35) Every person who provides removal services or who operates an impound facility and who charges fees for services provided in connection with this section in excess of those permitted by regulation is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $1,000. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(36) Every person who obstructs or interferes with a police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act in the performance of his or her duties under this section is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to both. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(37) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations,

(a) prescribing what constitutes a critical defect;

(b) governing the training and certification of police officers and officers appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act to carry out an inspection under this section;

(c) prescribing inspection procedures, inspection requirements and equipment and performance standards for carrying out inspections under this section;

(d) prescribing the period for the purpose of subsection (7);

(e) prescribing a schedule of fees that may be charged by independent contractors for services in connection with this section;

(f) prescribing the form of security that may be deposited pursuant to an order made under subsection (23) and governing the forfeiture and return of the security;

(g) prescribing the manner in which orders may be issued and notification of them given under this section;

(h) prescribing methods for and rules of service for any notices or orders required to be served under this section;

(i) classifying commercial motor vehicles and trailers and exempting any class of commercial motor vehicle or trailer from any provision of this section or from any regulation made under this section and prescribing conditions for any such exemption. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.

(38) The Minister may require that forms approved by the Minister be used for any purpose of this section. 1997, c. 12, s. 10.