Council Revisits Controversial Trailer Licensing Bylaw

Council Debates Registration, Enforcement, and Public Consultation

West Nipissing Council has revived discussions on a potential trailer licensing bylaw, sparking renewed debate over how recreational trailers should be regulated within the municipality.

The issue, which previously generated significant public opposition, was brought back to the table during this week’s meeting. The proposed bylaw aims to introduce a licensing system to track the number and locations of trailers being used or stored in West Nipissing.

The policy drafted by staff will require anyone who uses or keeps a trailer on any property to purchase an annual licence (other than those in designated camping establishments or those kept in storage).

No specific details on the requirements or fees for this license have been released yet. The bylaw will also allow officers to inspect any property licensed under the bylaw to make sure that proper building code requirements and environmental standards are met.

Licensing vs. Regulation

Council debated whether the bylaw should strictly focus on licensing for record-keeping purposes or extend into full regulation of trailer usage, including zoning restrictions and enforcement. Some councillors noted that the licensing system alone would not prevent unauthorized trailer use unless tied to zoning updates.

“The last council walked away from this issue because of public opposition,” noted CAO, Jay Barbeau. “If we move forward now, we need to be clear on the rules and how they will be enforced.”

The push in the past for a bylaw has been linked to problem properties that have multiple trailers and don’t properly abide by environmental laws. But councillor Georges Pharand asked why existing bylaws could not be enforced. He also opined that the municipality doesn’t seem to consistently enforce existing bylaws.

“I think we have a problem in this municipality where we don’t enforce bylaws unless there is a complaint. Which means people don’t respect our bylaws because most people don’t complain about their neighbours. They figure it’s our job to enforce bylaws, not theirs”, noted Pharand. He added that unless they are going to start being more proactive on existing bylaws, he would not be in favour of creating a new one.

Public Consultation Likely

Given the strong reactions from previous discussions, some councillors suggested holding a public consultation before implementing the bylaw. Others proposed aligning trailer regulations with the ongoing Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw review to ensure consistency across municipal policies.

Council agreed to conduct public consultation, but a heated debate arose over how many sessions would take place. Mayor Kathleen Thorne-Rochon wanted to limit it to two sessions but Councillor Rolland Larabie insisted that consultations in each ward should occur. He noted that during the prior term, sessions in Field and River Valley were both full.

Staff are to come back to council at a future meeting with a proposed plan for these consultations.

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