Calgary pays employees' traffic fines while on duty—here's why
Since April 2023, Calgary has covered routine traffic fines for city workers driving fleet vehicles. The city says labour arbitration and legal review forced the shift.
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The City of Calgary is paying routine traffic fines for employees operating city vehicles—and it's been doing so since April 6, 2023. But there's no single policy document behind the practice.
When HighOnCity asked the city to identify the formal policy or labour agreement establishing this approach, Human Resources responded that the shift came as a result of Alberta labour arbitration precedent, a union grievance, and judicial review. The specific outcomes of those legal processes aren't named in the city's response.
We also asked which union arbitration decision—specifically involving Edmonton—prompted Calgary to adopt this practice. The city pointed us to CanLII, a public legal database where such cases are available, but did not name the decision or provide specific case details.
As HighOnCity reported earlier, the city has paid nearly $120,000 in traffic fines for its fleet vehicles since 2023. The distinction between a formal policy and a legal compliance measure matters: what appeared to be a straightforward administrative decision turns out to be Calgary's response to labour dispute outcomes that effectively became standard practice.
The city confirmed that under the current approach, it pays routine traffic fines "incurred while an employee is performing their duties."
The facts
When did Calgary start paying traffic fines for employees driving city vehicles?
Calgary began paying routine traffic fines for employees operating city fleet vehicles on April 6, 2023.
How much has Calgary paid in traffic fines for fleet vehicles since 2023?
Calgary has paid nearly $120,000 in traffic fines for its fleet vehicles since 2023.
Why did Calgary adopt this traffic fine payment practice?
The City of Calgary shifted to paying traffic fines as a result of Alberta labour arbitration precedent, a union grievance, and judicial review, though the specific legal outcomes were not disclosed.
