The Municipality of Lakeshore has introduced a new policy to charge residents for false alarm calls to emergency services. Council voted unanimously to limit free false alarm responses to one per address, after which fees will be applied.
New Fee Structure Aims to Deter Repeat Offenders
Under the new bylaw, the fee for a false alarm requiring an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) response is set at $400. A false alarm that summons fire services will incur a charge of $570. Deputy Mayor Kirk Walstedt explained the rationale, stating residents get "one free shot at it" as a warning.
Those not registered in the municipality's voluntary alarm registry will be charged from the very first false alarm. The registry, which has been operating for approximately two decades, has seen declining membership in recent years.
Walstedt indicated the policy targets a small number of "repeat offenders" and is designed to help the municipality recover the operational costs incurred by the OPP and local fire departments when responding to non-emergencies.
Golf Cart Pilot in Lighthouse Cove Deemed a Success
In a separate report to council, Lakeshore's administration highlighted the success of a pilot project allowing golf carts on certain roads in the Lighthouse Cove hamlet. The program, which began in April 2025, permits carts on portions of County Road 39 where the speed limit is 50 km/h or less.
The report found that among the 84 permitted drivers, there have been no accidents and no tickets issued related to the pilot area. One golf cart violation was issued by the OPP during the period, but it occurred outside Lighthouse Cove and did not involve a permitted driver. The pilot program is authorized to continue until 2031.
Leamington Approves $2.8 Million for New Aerial Fire Truck
In a related regional emergency services update, the nearby Municipality of Leamington has approved a major capital expenditure for a new fire truck. Council agreed to spend nearly $2.8 million on a Rosenbauer fire truck equipped with a 101-foot aerial platform.
The funds were previously budgeted to replace a fire apparatus that is 25 years old. An administration report noted this purchase is similar to a recent vehicle order by the Municipality of Lakeshore and compares to an aerial unit recently bought by the Town of Essex.
The report also clarified that there are currently no Canadian manufacturers of aerial firefighting vehicles, and no import tariffs apply to those built in the United States. Rosenbauer trucks are U.S.-built, though the company is headquartered in Austria.
