Don't call 911 to complain about where neighbours throw snow: police
Don't call 911 to complain about where neighbours throw snow: police
Timmins is under a fresh new blanket of snow this week and police are issuing a reminder to the public not to call 911 with complaints about how neighbours are managing their snow clearing.
Police officials said after every dump of snow, its 911 call centre receives on average about 40 calls and is reminding people the emergency phone number is not a complaint line.
"That’s for emergencies. Someone dumping snow in your driveway does not meet the threshold of an emergency," said Marc Depatie, the communications coordinator for the Timmins Police Service.
Depatie said pushing snow onto city-owned sidewalks or streets is against the municipal bylaws, so there is no need to call 911.
However, he said, putting snow on someone else's property turns into a neighbour dispute and suggests people work together to resolve disagreements they have over snow before involving police.
"There is no bylaw that prohibits anyone from dumping snow into their neighbour’s yard. This is where it does become a police matter. More often than not ... if someone feels intimidated or threatened or if they don’t have the lawful enjoyment of their property any more, then that can become a police matter and we will react to those situations."
Timmins psychotherapist Jeff Baldock said it would be a good idea to build relations with neighbours and discuss their snow shovelling plans in the off-season.
"Have conversations, share a gift with them ... to build that relationship, so when communications need to happen, they happen in a more amicable way," Baldock said.
For whatever reason is standing in the way of resolving a neighbourly dispute over snow, Baldock suggested people find it in their hearts to forgive wrongdoers.
"If we hold tension towards our neighbour, just in our heart, in our mind and we’re not letting it go, it’s kind of interfering with our mind’s and our brain’s ability to solve problems," he said.
"Start with, I’m going to let this go, I’m going to forgive my neighbour, this is not the end of the world, we will get through this, and we’ll get through this winter and this snow thing like we do year after year."
Timmins police said it has not had to charge anyone based on complaints from neighbours about snow, but officers have had to investigate incidents of people uttering threats to their neighbours over snow disputes.
Two children are dead and six others are injured after a Laval city bus crashed into a daycare Wednesday morning. The driver of the bus, a 51-year-old man, has been arrested and faces charges of homicide and dangerous driving, police say.
The Bank of Canada released a summary of its Governing Council meetings on Wednesday, providing the public and financial institutions with more insight into the central bank’s decision to raise its key interest rate on Jan. 25.
Netflix Canada is rolling out its long-anticipated plans to crack down on password sharing, saying it will begin notifying Canadian users today by email about limitations.
An 'awkward' attempt at a handshake between Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the prime minister Tuesday is another example of leaders from the western province hesitating before shaking Justin Trudeau's hand, say political experts.
The sacrifices female killer whales continue to make for their sons well after they are weaned is negatively affecting their reproductive health, according to new scientific research.
In the aftermath of the deadly earthquake that struck Syria and Turkiye, Canadians are donating money and supplies to rescue and relief efforts there. CTVNews.ca rounds up ways you can contribute to charities based in Canada and abroad.
An associate of Ontario’s self-described “crypto king” was operating his own fraud scam parallel to the multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme, court documents allege.
Many Canadians are experiencing strains caused by the increased cost of living and inflation. In his exclusive column for CTVNews.ca, contributor Christopher Liew shares some of the top credits and deductions that you may be able to claim on your income tax return to help you save money.
A Toronto father was working Saturday afternoon when he got a notification from an app connected to his home security system. And what he saw on his phone was every parent's worst nightmare.
An associate of Ontario’s self-described “crypto king” was operating his own fraud scam parallel to the multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme, court documents allege.
Two children are dead and six others are injured after a Laval city bus crashed into a daycare Wednesday morning. The driver of the bus, a 51-year-old man, has been arrested and faces charges of homicide and dangerous driving, police say.
A large group of Ottawa residents came out Wednesday to support a drag storytime event at the National Arts Centre, outnumbering protesters who were in opposition.
A memorial has been set up in the area where 30-year-old Karen Cunningham’s body was found, as police in Woodstock continue to investigate her death as “suspicious” in nature.
In the wake of several Google employees being laid off in Waterloo region, a national business council for tech firms says they’ve already had a number of CEOs in the tech sector ready to connect with those lost their job.
Eighty-four bricks of suspected cocaine were seized from a commercial truck allegedly attempting to smuggle the drugs into Canada at the Blue Water Bridge, border officials say.
Two children are dead and six others are injured after a Laval city bus crashed into a daycare Wednesday morning. The driver of the bus, a 51-year-old man, has been arrested and faces charges of homicide and dangerous driving, police say.
Justin Trudeau has thrown in the towel in the fight to maintain the federal role as gatekeeper of a public, universal, accessible and fair health-care system in Canada, writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca. 'That could have tragic consequences for folks on the lower rungs of the social and economic ladder.'
The number of organ donors in Quebec has increase threefold in the past five years, according to Transplant Quebec, which also reported a “steep” rise in donations coming from patients opting for medical assistance in dying (MAID). Canada’s MAID process allows patients with certain irremediable conditions to end their own life with the help of a physician or nurse. Since the law was passed in 2016, over 30,000 people have sought the process as of 2022, when the last federal report was published.
There was drama in a Halifax courtroom Wednesday as a Crown prosecutor tried to poke holes in the alibi of a former medical school student who is claiming self-defence in the shooting death of another student during a drug deal.
Team Lawes vice Selena Njegovan will be able to serve in a support role at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts after all despite initially being told she'd have limited access on site while on pregnancy leave.
Two children are dead and six others are injured after a Laval city bus crashed into a daycare Wednesday morning. The driver of the bus, a 51-year-old man, has been arrested and faces charges of homicide and dangerous driving, police say.
The Calgary Police Service asked residents of a northwest neighbourhood to shelter in their homes as officers responded to a situation Wednesday morning involving a firearm.
If you're a FortisAlberta customer who owns an electric vehicle, the company is looking for your help with a pilot program that will test the limits of Alberta's electrical infrastructure.
The Alberta government is moving ahead with a plan that would give oil and gas companies a tax break for meeting their legal obligations to clean up old well sites, inviting a select group of landowner organizations to a meeting to discuss a pilot project.
An 'awkward' attempt at a handshake between Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the prime minister Tuesday is another example of leaders from the western province hesitating before shaking Justin Trudeau's hand, say political experts.
The latest B.C. Labour Market Outlook forecasts employment in the province will reach 3.1 million jobs by 2032 – half a million more than there were last year.
A woman who was seriously injured in a head-on collision last summer is speaking out against ICBC's no-fault policy, arguing it penalizes the victims of accidents.
