APPROVED BY COUNCIL

NOVEMBER 7, 2002

EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES
STANDING COMMITTEE ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT
NOVEMBER 7, 2002

2. Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers By-law No. 2807 and License By-law

No. 4450 Update and Changes (File: 2501)

The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated October 30, 2002 in which the Chief License Inspector and the Chief Constable in consultation with the Director of Legal Services and the Director of Finance provided Council with an update on the performance of the X-Tract Internet reporting system and other amendments to the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers By-law No. 2807 made in November, 2001. Amendments to License By-law No. 4450 to create new classes of Secondhand Dealers and a new fee structure to support the X-Tract system were also proposed. The General Manager of Community Services and the Chief Constable supported the recommendations and the Director of Legal Services supported approval of the By-law amendments. The City Manager supported recommendations A to I and proposed an additional recommendation J.

Guy Gusdal, License Coordinator, along with Inspector Bob Taylor and Sergeant Doug Fisher, Vancouver Police Department, reviewed the report and responded to questions relating to effectiveness in tracking stolen property, cost effectiveness and relationship to the Vancouver Charter and provincial legislation. Russ Sanderson, E-Comm responded to questions relating to on-line reporting of stolen property by citizens.

The following spoke in opposition to the recommendations:

Ken Roath, President, BC Pawnbrokers Association
Pat McGowan, Telus Canada
Joseph Iorio, J & M Coin & Jewellery

Speakers' comments included:

· concern expressed that there was no Request For Proposal issued;
· reviewed statistics relating to relationship between outlets for stolen property and second hand dealers;
· crime fighting systems should be not be funded by secondhand dealers who are also victims of property crime;
· it is unnecessary to pay in excess of $100,000 when there are far less costly and functional systems available;
· internet reporting will not be admissible in court;
· police are providing misleading information regarding the X-Tract system;
· system was not requested by and is not beneficial to secondhand dealers;
· if recommendations pass, many smaller businesses will be forced to leave Vancouver;
· business license fees should be increased across the board to all businesses;
· the recommended fee increase will effect `mom and pop' businesses negatively; they will pass increases on to customers;
· Telus and LeadsOnLine are in partnership to provide service across Canada;
· LeadsOnLine gathers data from pawnshops, provides this data to police and the information is available as evidence;
· there should be a national plan which would incorporate a cross-border system;
· LeadsOnLine is a viable solution for $4,000/year with no up-front costs;
· concern was expressed regarding time and costs to secondhand dealers who are doing data entry; they are doing job of police at their own cost;
· not all secondhand dealers are reporting; therefore, the playing field is not level;
· the number of secondhand dealers indicated in the report is erroneous;
· questioned why clothing stores are exempted from reporting;
· secondhand dealers are victims as they lose money paid out for goods that turn out to be stolen property;
· secondhand dealers are never provided proof that items seized are returned to owners;
· secondhand dealers are not the problem, they are victimized for a problem of society; approval of recommendations would add to burden by raising license fees.

The following spoke in support of the recommendations, with reservations:

Grant McDonagh, Zulu Records
Garrett Mayer, Special Retail Investigation Unit.

Speakers' comment included:

· suggested an amendment regarding the use of the word "vinyl"
· anti-fencing unit supports the X-Tract System

MOVED by Councillor Puil
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

A. THAT Council approve amendments to License Bylaw No. 4450 and Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers By-law No. 2807 as generally outlined or referred to in Appendix A Part 1 and 2 of Policy Report, Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers By-law No. 2807 and License By-law No. 4450 Update and Changes, dated October 30, 2002 which specify new definitions for types of secondhand dealer businesses, revise the definition of pawnbroker, propose amendments to the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers By-law to acknowledge these new definitions, and recommend a new license fee structure to take effect January 1, 2003.

B. THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to bring forward the appropriate By-law amendments.

C. THAT having heard all delegations, decision on Recommendations A, C, D, E, F, G, I and J from Policy Report Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers By-law No. 2807 and License By-law No. 4450 Update and Changes, dated October 30, 2002, be postponed to a future meeting of Council and;

FURTHER THAT Staff is instructed to provide a memo to Council with a comparative summary of costing information relating to the LeadsOnLine system and X-Tract Internet Reporting System.

D. THAT Appendix A Part 2, Section C of the Policy Report Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers By-law No. 2807 and License By-law No. 4450 Update and Changes, dated October 30, 2002, be amended to add "vinyl records and LPs".

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Clarke not present for the vote)

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver