Ontario targets illegal car rallies with tough new penalties this summer

Police throughout Ontario are ramping up efforts to crack down on unlawful automobile rallies and road racing occasions, warning new guidelines this 12 months include steep penalties for reckless drivers and spectators.

The meetups, usually organized by social media, have grow to be more and more fashionable throughout the province, particularly in industrial plaza parking heaps and excessive colleges.

Officers say some rallies appeal to a whole lot of automobiles which might be often marked by loud engines, reckless driving and harmful stunts that put each contributors and bystanders in danger.

In a latest assertion on X, Windsor police referred to as the occasions “loud and disruptive,” noting that many result in “extreme rushing and reckless driving.”

The Ontario Provincial Police are additionally concerned within the effort to sort out the problem because the climate begins to heat up.

The power says it will likely be utilizing the brand new enforcement guidelines to sort out reckless driving.

Get every day Nationwide information

Get the day’s high information, political, financial, and present affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox as soon as a day.

“Careless Driving laws has modified to incorporate parking heaps,” and different public areas the place racing and stunt driving are widespread, a latest submit by the OPP on X learn.

Sgt. Julie McLeod warns in a video posted to the OPP West Area X account that even drivers on non-public property can face critical penalties.

“Can YOU afford a $490 tremendous with 6 demerit factors?” the area added in a submit.

The province’s Freeway Visitors Act additionally outlines stiff penalties for stunt driving or road racing.

Drivers convicted beneath the act might face fines starting from $2,000 to $10,000, with as much as six months in jail, six demerit factors, and a compulsory driver enchancment course. A primary conviction can result in a license suspension of as much as three years, with lifetime bans attainable for repeat offenders.

Some cities throughout the province are additionally teaming as much as sort out the unsanctioned rallies.

The Metropolis of Brampton has launched fines between $800 and $2,000 for these concerned in unlawful rallies, whereas Vaughan is fining spectators $500 and charging contributors as much as $2,000.

Police say they’ll proceed monitoring social media for occasion bulletins and are urging anybody who sees a rally or hears about one to report it to their native non-emergency police line.

Toronto can also be taking a broader strategy to road security, with Mayor Olivia Chow not too long ago saying the rollout of 75 new pace cameras throughout town. In simply 17 months alone, town has reported $3.6 million in fines.

As hotter climate rolls in, police say so will their presence on roads and in parking heaps throughout Ontario.

“Keep in mind driving is a privilege, not a proper,” mentioned McLeod.

&copy 2025 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.