Police in Gatineau, Que. are investigating residents driving with non-Quebec licence plates, after receiving hundreds of tips about rule-breakers cruising around the city.
On February 19, the Gatineau Police department launched an operation targeting Quebec residents with out-of-province licence plates on their vehicles. Police asked residents to call 3-1-1 to report neighbours, friends or other residents who have a non-Quebec licence plate while living in the province for more than three months.
As of March 18, the city had received 839 reports of non-Quebec vehicle registrations in the four weeks since police issued the appeal.
Police tell CTV News Ottawa no tickets have been issued yet for out-of-province plates.
“The process of collecting and analyzing the information is still in progress, the groundwork has begun,” police said in a statement. “We have to keep in mind the investigation work can be lengthy since all the information must be validated by the police officers on the terrain.”
Provincial law requires new residents to register their vehicles with the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) within three months to receive a Quebec plate.
The fine for having an out-of-provincial licence plate is $200.
“The situation of Gatineau residents with licence plates from another province is a problem known to the SPVG,” police said in a statement on February 19. “In fact, it is working with the City of Gatineau, Revenu Québec and the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec to identify possible actions to reduce this problem.”
The crackdown on out-of-province licence plates comes after the city implemented a new vehicle registration tax to help fund Gatineau’s STO. Under the plan approved by council, each registered vehicle is subject to a $60 tax in 2025, and a $90 vehicle tax starting in 2026.
The vehicle registration tax is collected by the SAAQ, and applies to automobiles, motor homes, SUVs and minivans, but not motorcycles, mopeds, and vehicles for institutional, professional and commercial use, according to the city.
The new $60 vehicle registration tax imposed by the City of Gatineau is in addition to a $30 fee that has been charged by the province since 1992.
With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Ted Raymond
