Kawartha Lakes moves toward regulating driving schools

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard

KAWARTHA LAKES: Driving schools, operating on roads throughout Kawartha Lakes, could soon face new municipal rules.

City council has directed staff to develop a business case and licensing program for driving school operators, following concerns raised about traffic, road safety, and the repeated use of some local streets for driver training.

The issue came before council, at a recent meeting, in a report from Aaron Sloan, manager of municipal law enforcement, who outlined options for providing the City with greater oversight of driving school operations.

Driving schools and instructors are already regulated by the Province of Ontario, but Kawartha Lakes does not currently have its own licensing system or municipal rules governing where and when driver training takes place.

The City conducted a public survey in May, receiving 114 responses. Nearly 79 percent of respondents said, they supported municipal regulation of driving schools.

Residents identified traffic congestion, safety, repeated use of residential streets, and accountability among their primary concerns.

The survey found, 54.4 percent of respondents had a somewhat or very negative view of current driving school operations, compared with 24.6 percent who viewed them positively. At the same time, residents recognized the benefits of driver education, including improving driver training and road safety.

There was also strong support for a number of potential regulations. More than 80 percent of respondents supported requiring proof of insurance and instructor qualifications, while nearly 80 percent backed business licensing requirements. Clearly marked training vehicles and restrictions on driving, in certain areas or at certain times, each received support from 77.5 percent of respondents.

City estimates indicate, there are between 16 and 18 driving school providers serving Kawartha Lakes, including businesses located within the municipality and others based in neighbouring communities.

The report noted, provincial regulations cover areas such as instructor qualifications, insurance, vehicle standards, and approved driver education programs. However, those rules do not generally deal with local concerns about training routes, traffic congestion, or the repeated use of particular neighbourhood streets. City staff also met with representatives of the Lindsay DriveTest Centre as part of their review.

The report noted, DriveTest uses three interchangeable road-test routes in Lindsay, with changes made based on factors such as construction, congestion and emergencies. Staff also learned road closures and other unexpected disruptions are not always consistently communicated to DriveTest, which can result in route changes which may contribute to traffic congestion.

Council's direction to staff could eventually lead to a licensing system covering driving school businesses, instructors, and training vehicles.

A future program could include requirements for insurance and qualifications, vehicle identification, and rules governing where or when training takes place. It could also provide the City with a formal process for receiving and tracking complaints.

Staff cautioned creating a new licensing system would come with additional administrative and enforcement costs. Licensing fees could help offset some of those expenses, but the financial impact will not be known until a proposed program is developed.

The City is expected to bring a business case and proposed licensing program back to council by the second quarter of 2027.

For now, driving schools continue to operate under provincial regulations, while the City considers what additional local oversight may be appropriate.