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Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Bad blood in the Niagara towing industry
The push for change in administration of the lucrative Niagara Regional Police tow-truck rotation is coming to a head. Joe Vieira, owner-operator of Regional Towing in Niagara Falls, and Chris York, who drives a truck from Jo's Auto Collision in Thorold, have gone public with complaints against Niagara Tow Alliance (NTA), which was formed in 2019 to help Niagara Region oversee the rotation of tow trucks called to crashes. Vieira and York have accused NTA, owned by a rival tow company, of conflicts of interest and questioned the organization's finances. The alliance has denied the allegations and recently voted to expel Vieira from the organization. The NRP issued a report recommending reassumption of control over the rotational list for Thursday's police board agenda. Regional staff maintain changes to provincial legislation relieves the upper-tier municipality 'It's a matter of safety, and we want to make sure that we have the proper oversight for the towing rotation to make sure we don't have the criminality coming down here from Toronto,' Vieira said. 'The way it stands now, nobody is overseeing the towing for the Niagara Regional Police. If a citizen has a complaint about a tow they received from somebody the police called out, there is nobody to go to. It's absolutely 100 per cent in limbo right now.' The Ontario government created a vacuum in January 2024 by changing its towing legislation and relieving municipalities, such as Niagara Region, of responsibility for licensing tow trucks. The revisions were in response to violence in Toronto. The regulation of the industry is now part of the Ministry of Transportation's mandate; however, the legislation is silent on tow rotations. Niagara Region's manager of business licensing, Chris Johnston, said without the ability to license the trucks, his department lacks authority to manage or change the rotational list. 'The language is not there for rotation,' Johnston said. 'It speaks about what the compound will look like, how operators conduct themselves, the licensing regime concerning all things tow truck and the enforcement component of that. 'The rotation was created as part of the bylaw that was pre-existing, and now we can't enforce it, essentially. That's where we need to determine what the next steps are going to be.' A police tow rotation is a system whereby towing companies are called to provide towing services in a predetermined order. This system ensures fair distribution of towing jobs, prevents chaotic competition and helps maintain order at crash scenes. The NRP employs a separate company, Parkway Towing of Niagara Falls, for what are known as crime tows, when a vehicle is evidence and police need to verify the chain of custody for court proceedings. The NRP awards the contract via a competitive process. Vieira said he requested to see NTA's financial statements and information about the GST remittance to the government for the dispatch service, which costs each company $85 monthly plus tax. 'If the NTA had just provided the bank statements of the ins and outs and the GST information and everything checked out, I would have shut up and disappeared with egg on my face,' Vieria said. 'We did get some transcripts that somebody manually inputted, but we wanted to see where the money is going. I eventually decided to have my lawyer from Protomanni & Associates request the financials on my behalf, using their letterhead. 'I thought that might work, but then the lawyer called me in and said we can't legally ask them. He turned the computer screen toward me and said, 'These are the directors, and it is set up as a money-generating business.' I was completely floored. 'When we first got together at the Holiday Inn on Ontario Street (in St. Catharines), we were told you have to be part of the NTA to tow for the police, and not to worry about the cost because the organization is not-for-profit.' A screen capture shows a message, with the name redacted, that was sent to the owner of Regional Towing. Vieira said he contacted police and was assured his company can stay on the rotation by paying the dispatcher directly. York said he never joined the alliance, having been convinced from the outset it was, at best, unnecessary, but is nonetheless invoiced for the dispatch service. York told regional councillors during their June 26 meeting it is clear to him Niagara Towing alliance is making a profit. 'We repeatedly asked to see them and were sent a spreadsheet,' York said. 'Where are the supporting documents? We've asked to see bank statements. We've asked to see the invoices. None of this has been forthcoming.' Jim Hatcher, owner of Traffic Towing in St. Catharines, serves as NTA's elected chair. He requested that questions be submitted and answered through email. He took issue with the comments about financial accountability. 'All members received a copy of our statements to date and have had access to the bank records,' Hatcher said. 'However, the Niagara Towing Alliance is not part of any government body; therefore, our financial activity is solely the business of our members and the board. We are fully compliant.' Hatcher has also denied having a conflict of interest because his company is on the tow list. He said the alliance doesn't make decisions regarding the list, as the province's licensing system determines eligibility, along with specific criteria provided by police, in another emailed response. 'If approved by the province, they can apply for and be added to the rotation list,' Hatcher said. 'It is not in our authority to approve or disapprove of anyone on the rotation, as we serve at the pleasure of several police departments.' Vieira said the issue has more to do with owners who gain a financial advantage because they have multiple companies in the rotation. 'One of the things that I'm pushing for is just one owner, one company, and none of this 'My dad owns this company; it's not mine,'' Vieira said. 'If you get in an accident and the police call for a tow, and the vehicle stays in the compound for a few days, each car is going to bring in $1,800 to $2,200. You can have between 20 and 40 vehicles per month, depending on the circumstances. That's just my company. One of the members has six companies listed. You can see how lucrative it is.' Hatcher said NTA members in attendance at the most recent meeting unanimously endorsed continuing with the alliance's present services if asked to do so by the police and region. 'With our proven track record and transparent system that remains revenue neutral to the taxpayer and combined with the addition of NRP oversight, I can see no reason why we wouldn't continue,' Hatcher said. Vieira said money and territorial disputes are at the heart of the violence surrounding the industry in Toronto, and those factors are also at play in Niagara. The Toronto Star reported police records show tow-truck violence was responsible for 13 per cent of all shootings in the city in 2024, and 15 per cent in the first part of 2025. 'Any time you have a contest, people are going to try to get a leg up,' Vieira said. 'Someone is going to try to cheat, and they're going to threaten or intimidate or hurt you or take you completely out of the picture.' Vieira and Hatcher agree on this point. Hatcher said the criminal activity stems from an industry practice known as 'chasing.' 'That's when a tow truck shows up uninvited and attempts to coerce the victims of an accident into using their services,' Hatcher said. 'I can report the NRP is diligently working on a monitoring system, in addition to the present dispatch protocol, that will eliminate any outside element wanting to chase in Niagara. We believe the police are well aware and are taking definitive steps.' One owner says the procedure that involves a Niagara Region list of companies local police use The police report on the local industry said the criminal aspect associated with tow trucks in the GTA and Hamilton area is a 'real and credible risk' in Niagara. 'The NRPS is aware of the criminal element in the tow truck industry within our jurisdiction, and this is a valid concern,' the report said. 'The responsibility of managing, administering and enforcing in all aspects of the tow trucks operating in Niagara would position the NRPS well to both address the criminal element and take a proactive approach through the oversight function associated with management of the tow rotation list.' The report said there is no provincial standard for lists, and it is up to each jurisdiction to manage tow trucks once the ministry licenses them. However, from a public perception and accountability lens, drivers impacted or involved in collisions believe police control every aspect of the crash scene, including the tow trucks attending. 'Therefore, there is already a perceived responsibility on the NRPS by the community,' the report said. 'Assuming carriage of the tow rotation list aligns NRPS operations with this public perception.' St. Catharines regional Coun. Haley Bateman said the towing issue is a safety concern for the entire community. 'A tow-truck driver is called when you need help, and in those moments, you're vulnerable,' Bateman told council at its June meeting. 'There's a huge responsibility here for the safety and well-being of our community. I hope we can move this along. It's not up to us. It's up to staff, but I think council should ensure that we're providing the support to do that.' Vieira said the fight is taking a personal toll. When he was removed from the alliance, one of the members made a throat-slashing gesture with his thumb. Vieira said he is considering wearing a bulletproof vest for the second time since he opened his business 23 years ago. The first instance was during the COVID-19 pandemic when roads were empty across the province and rival companies from outside Niagara invaded the local road network in search of business. These days, as a result of what's happening in the industry and his dispute with the towing alliance, he takes security precautions when he returns home from work. 'There has been a lot forwarded to me on social media,' he said. 'It's always anonymous, except for one person who is making threats that aren't exactly overt. He's making a point of calling me a rat, which is jail lingo for somebody who squeals or works with the authorities. Anybody who's been around the criminal element knows what it means. It's a big insult. 'That's not how I see myself. The opposition comes from individuals who have multiple companies on the list or have recently started their businesses and joined the rotation. They're afraid that the police might listen to me and make changes.' York finished his address to council with a plea and a warning. 'We need to give this back to the NRP before we have any more problems,' he said. 'They controlled it before and know what they were doing. Right now, we're sitting in a situation where we could have organized crime move in at any time, outmuscle Mr. Hatcher, and take control of the towing industry in Niagara.' During Thursday's meeting of the police board, Bill Steele, mayor of Port Colborne, asked that a motion recommending NRP take over management and oversight of the towing list be deferred until a Niagara Region report on the issue is filed. That report is expected in the next month or so. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Journal
7 hours ago
- Health
- The Journal
Nineteen children known to Tusla died last year, including four by suicide
NINETEEN CHILDREN KNOWN to child and family agency Tusla died during 2024, including four by suicide. The figures are contained in the 2024 annual report of the National Review Panel (NRP), an independent body commissioned by Tusla but independent of the agency. Since 2010, Tusla has been required to notify the panel of serious incidents, including the deaths of children and young people in care or known to child and family services. The deaths decreased by ten in comparison to 2023 when the NRP was notified of 29 deaths. None of the 19 deaths related to children in care, two related to young people receiving aftercare services and the remaining 17 related to children or young people who were living with their families in the community and who had had some involvement with Tusla during their lives. Eight children died as a result of natural causes, including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Four died by suicide, two were accidental tragedies and there is no conclusion as to cause of death for the remaining five. The majority of deaths occurred in two age groups, including 13 infants under 12 months and four children aged between 11-16 years. Six serious incidents were also notified to the NRP relating to children in care or known to social work services. Examples of serious incidents notified included children who were neglected or abused, sexually exploited, exposed to potentially harmful situations or involved in non-fatal accidents. Three serious incidents were reported in relation to children in care, one in aftercare and two who were known to social services. 'In care' means living in foster or residential care. 'Known to services' refers to children that lived in their community with their family and were in receipt of services from Tusla. The annual report also highlighted four reports published by Tusla in 2024 relating to children who died in 2022 and 2023, including one who was under the care of Tusla at the time of death. The review found that one suicide case was impacted by a shortage of social workers and unavailability of suitable placements, while another was impacted by a lack of collaboration between Tusla and the HSE. Advertisement The reports concerned an infant who died as a result of a tragic accident, a teenage boy with special needs who died accidentally, a 14-year-old girl who died from suicide and a 17-year-old girl who died from suicide. In the two cases of accidental death, the reviews found that the circumstances of their deaths could not have been predicted or prevented by services. The 14-year-old girl who died from suicide had been in care for a number of years and had several placement breakdowns due to her challenging behaviour. 'She had settled after a period in special care but sadly took her own life following an incident where she had seriously assaulted a staff member when she was in a step-down placement,' the report said. 'The review found that she had disjointed mental health care, which prevented her from making a trusting relationship with a clinician. 'It also noted that social work shortages as well as lack of suitable placements had a negative impact on the way the case was managed.' The case of the 17-year-old who took her own life had been allocated to a Tusla social worker and had been the subject of many discussions between the HSE and Tusla regarding who was responsible for keeping the young person safe. The young girl had been known to mental health services for some time prior to her death and had several admissions to psychiatric hospitals before she was referred to Tusla. The review found that the case lacked an integrated approach between the HSE and Tusla. Commenting on the annual report, Dr Helen Buckley, Chairperson of the National Review Panel said: 'On behalf of the NRP I wish to extend my sincere sympathies to families, friends, guardians and all those affected by the deaths of the children and young people reviewed by the National Review Panel in 2024. 'The death of a child is an unthinkable tragedy and one which has a profound effect on many. 'The NRP have made a number of recommendations in the annual report this year, relating to frontline services, availability of suitable placements and interagency working between Tusla and the HSE particularly in relation to mental health services. 'As with previous years, suicide is one of the biggest factors in the death of young people and a stronger inter-agency approach is needed to fully support our young people experiencing mental health difficulties.' She thanked the family members and professionals who spoke to the NRP about the deaths. ***** If you have been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, you can reach out for support through the following helplines. These organisations also put people in touch with long-term supports: Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@ Text About It - text HELLO to 50808 (mental health issues) Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety) Pieta House 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444 – (suicide, self-harm) Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19) Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s) Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
Deaths of 19 children and young people notified to National Review Board last year
Tusla is required to notify the panel of serious incidents, including the deaths of children and young people in foster or residential care and those that lived in their community with their family and were in receipt of services from the child and family agency. None of the deaths notified to the NRP last year related to children in care. Two related to young people receiving aftercare services and the remaining 17 notifications related to children who were living with their families in the community. Eight died as a result of natural causes, including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, last year. Four young people died by suicide and two died in accidents, while five had their cause of death listed as 'unknown', where the coroner or post mortem has not reached a conclusion. The figures published in the NRP annual report showed the majority of deaths occurred in two age cohorts. Infants under 12 months accounted for nine of the deaths notified to the panel, while there were four deaths reported in the 11 to 16 year-old age group. Six serious incidents were also reported to the panel last year, which are defined as any events that may have caused potentially life-threatening injury or serious and permanent impairment of health, wellbeing, or development of a child or young person. Three related to children in care, one related to a child in aftercare or in care immediately before their 18th birthday and two related to children or young people known to social work services. Examples of serious incidents that were notified include children still living who were known to Tusla and were found to have been neglected or abused, sexually exploited, exposed to potentially harmful situations or involved in non-fatal accidents. The NRP reports on individual deaths of children in Tusla's care, or known to it, are published periodically on the agency's website. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Four anonymised reports were published by the NRP last year following reviews of the deaths of an infant who died as a result of an accident; a teenage boy with special needs who died accidentally; and the separate cases of two young girls, aged 14 and 17 respectively, who died from suicide. None of the four deaths that were the focus of reviews that were published last year occurred in 2024, but occurred in the years prior. Both reviews relating to the separate accidental deaths of an infant and a teenage boy found that 'the circumstances of their deaths could not have been predicted or prevented by services'. In one case where a child died accidentally, Tusla services had very little contact with the family and had put in place a safety plan. In the other case involving a child who died in an accident, a safety plan was also in place, with the report noting: 'An allocated social worker was actively involved trying to complete information for an assessment and the review found weaknesses with regard to the transfer of information between administrative areas and inconsistent application of the Child Abuse Substantiation Procedure'. The review of the case of a 14-year-old girl who died from suicide was also published last year, with the report noting that she had been in care for a number of years and had numerous placement breakdowns. "She had settled after a period in special care but sadly took her own life following an incident where she had seriously assaulted a staff member when she was in a step-down placement.' It found that she had received 'disjointed mental health care, which prevented her from making a trusting relationship with a clinician' and noted that social work shortages and a lack of suitable placements had a negative impact on the way the case was managed. In a review of the case of a 17-year-old girl who died from suicide, the report said a social worker had been allocated and the case 'had been the subject of many discussions between the HSE and Tusla regarding ownership of professional responsibility for keeping the young person safe'. She was known to mental health services for some time prior to her death and had several admissions to psychiatric hospitals before she was referred to Tusla, with the review finding that the case 'lacked a single integrated approach between the HSE and Tusla with no agreement as to which case should lead the coordination of professional input'. Commenting on the publication of the NRP annual report, chairperson Dr Helen Buckley said: 'On behalf of the NRP I wish to extend my sincere sympathies to families, friends, guardians and all those affected by the deaths of the children and young people reviewed by the National Review Panel in 2024. "The death of a child is an unthinkable tragedy and one which has a profound effect on many.' The report made a series of recommendations relating to frontline services, availability of suitable placements and interagency working between Tusla and the HSE particularly in relation to mental health services. "As with previous years, suicide is one of the biggest factors in the death of young people and a stronger inter-agency approach is needed to fully support our young people experiencing mental health difficulties,' said Dr Buckley. "I would like to express my appreciation to the family members who participated in interviews last year and gave us valuable insight into their situations as service users. We acknowledge that the experience was, at times, difficult for them. "We also express appreciation for the willingness of professionals to speak with us and acknowledge that it was a stressful experience for many of them. I would also like to express my thanks to the Tusla staff who supported the NRP and families throughout the interview process.'
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
Tusla referred 19 deaths of children to review panel in 2024
Nineteen deaths of children between infancy and 20 years of age were notified to the National Review Panel (NRP) by Tusla last year. The NRP conducts reviews of instances where children in care, in aftercare or known to child protection services, die or experience serious incidents. None of the deaths referred to the NRP by Tusla last year related to children in care. Two related to young people receiving aftercare services and the remaining 17 notifications related to children or young people who were living with their families in the community. Of the 19 deaths notified in 2024; eight died because of natural causes; four died by suicide; two were accidental and five were classified as unknown (where the coroner/post-mortem has not reached a conclusion as to cause of death). Most deaths occurred in two age cohorts, infants under 12 months (13 in total) and those aged between 11 years and 16-years (four in total). There are six recommendations included in the report, including a suggestion that Tusla develop a national policy and strategy to address the mental health needs of children in care. It also recommends that when reviews are conducted on the Child Abuse Substantiation Procedure (CASP) - which is the process to investigate allegations of child abuse - the level of adherence to correct procedure when the alleged victim and perpetrator live in different areas should be examined. The NRP suggests that Tusla and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth review Children First guidance on the key functions of Tusla to mandate it as the lead agency in managing and coordinating inter-agency care planning. It has pointed to cases where the assessment of harm to a child or young person arising from their own actions is high (i.e. life threatening), combined with concerns about a parent's ability to cope with and manage this risk. Other recommendations include that Tusla develop guidance for the management of Child Welfare - High Priority cases with partner agencies and in particular the HSE's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). It also says Tusla should take steps to audit and establish if Medium Priority child welfare cases is an "appropriate classification" where children or young people are at risk and that the Joint Protocol for Interagency Working needs further revision to assist in the management of contested cases. NRP Chairperson Dr Helen Buckley has expressed her sincere sympathy to those affected by the deaths of the children and young people reviewed by the National Review Panel in 2024. "As with previous years, suicide is one of the biggest factors in the death of young people and a stronger inter-agency approach is needed to fully support our young people experiencing mental health difficulties," she said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Natural Resource Partners L.P. Schedules Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call
HOUSTON, July 23, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NYSE: NRP) plans to report its second quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. Management will host a conference call beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss the results. To register for the conference call please use this link: After registering, a confirmation will be sent via email and include dial-in details and unique conference call codes for entry. Registration is open through the live call, however, to ensure you are connected for the full conference call we suggest registering a day in advance or at minimum 10 minutes before the start of the call. Investors may also listen to the conference call live via the Investor Relations section of the NRP website at Audio replays of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of NRP's website. Company Profile Natural Resource Partners L.P., a master limited partnership headquartered in Houston, TX, is a diversified natural resource company that owns, manages and leases a diversified portfolio of properties in the United States including coal, industrial minerals and other natural resources, as well as rights to conduct carbon sequestration and renewable energy activities. NRP also owns an equity investment in Sisecam Wyoming LLC, one of the world's lowest-cost producers of soda ash. Further information about NRP is available on the partnership's website at View source version on Contacts NRP Contact Tiffany Sammis, Investor Relations, 713.751.7515, tsammis@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
