Sault Ste. Marie City Council will be asked Monday to amend its 13-year-old peddlers' bylaw to outlaw aggressive door-to-door solicitation.
The changes were sought by police chief Robert Keetch, who has received 69 complaints this year regarding aggressive or unwanted solicitation.
A similar rash of complaints was received last year.
"Many of these complaints involve elderly homeowners and aggressive out-of-town companies," Keetch said in a recent letter to city solicitor Nuala Kenney.
City Bylaw 2003-53 requires that peddlers be licenced, but sets no standards for their behaviour.
"In discussions with the [city's] legal department, it has identified that the city has no authority under the present bylaw to revoke a licence where the sales persons are aggressive or not acting in accordance with the best interests of our community," the police chief said.
The proposed beefed-up bylaw prohibits peddlers from engaging in "physical intimidation including but not limited to entering or failing to leave private property when it is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome."
A peddler's licence could be revoked for four reasons:
- if the information in the application is false
- if the operation of the licencee's business is or will not be carried on in compliance with the law
- if the conduct of the licencee is calculated to mislead, deceive, or intimidate the public, or in manner contrary to the provisions of the peddlers' bylaw
- for an reason that would disentitle the holder of the licence if he or she were an applicant
The new provisions are based on similar peddlers' bylaws in Sudbury and Newmarket.
"The amendments include a general prohibition of physically aggressive tactics," says Jeffrey King from the city's legal department.
"The amendments give City Police a means to address legitimate complaints to protect vulnerable citizens."