City changed traffic-fine policy for employees in April 2023 after labour arbitration and judicial review
The City of Calgary now covers routine traffic fines for employees operating city vehicles, a practice that changed after labour dispute precedent and court review.
HOC Exclusive · reported in response to questions HighOnCity put to the office named above.
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The City of Calgary changed its approach to traffic fines on April 6, 2023, now covering routine on-duty traffic fines incurred by employees operating city vehicles.
The shift followed Alberta labour arbitration precedent, a union grievance, and judicial review, according to the city's Human Resources department. There is no single policy or labour agreement that outlines this practice—rather, it resulted from precedent established through these labour and judicial processes.
HighOnCity had raised questions about the policy after reporting that the city paid nearly $120,000 in traffic fines for fleet vehicles since 2023. The city's response clarified that the practice was not formalized in a single document but emerged from the outcomes of these labour and legal disputes.
The city indicated that information about the specific Alberta labour arbitration decision involving the City of Edmonton, which prompted Calgary's policy shift, should be publicly available through CanLII, a legal database. The response did not specify which Edmonton case established the precedent or provide further detail on the union grievance that triggered Calgary's review.
What is the specific name and case number of the Alberta labour arbitration decision involving the City of Edmonton that established the precedent?
Which union filed the grievance against the City of Calgary, and what was the outcome?
How much has the city paid in traffic fines annually since the April 2023 policy change?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When did Calgary change its traffic fine policy for city employees?
The City of Calgary changed its traffic fine policy on April 6, 2023, to cover routine on-duty traffic fines incurred by employees operating city vehicles.
How much has Calgary paid in traffic fines for fleet vehicles since the policy changed?
The City of Calgary paid nearly $120,000 in traffic fines for fleet vehicles since 2023.
