WATERLOO — Waterloo council has grown tired of handing noise or nuisance tickets to street partiers who don't pay the fines, and is asking the province to consider changing the law.

The city wants bylaw officers to be able to compel identification from people under investigation, a power they do not have. The city wants higher penalties when there are public safety risks.

And it wants to be able to collect unpaid bylaw fines by connecting them to the renewal of driver's licences.

Council voted Monday to seek provincial consideration for these changes.

"We have people coming into our community who aren't behaving well, particularly at the unsanctioned public gatherings, and they're getting away with it," Mayor Dave Jaworsky said, after asking council to support his call for new legislation.

He told councillors: "People aren't paying these bylaw fines. We're looking to collect them."

Waterloo is carrying an estimated $330,000 in unpaid bylaw infractions. Some of this is owed by people ticketed by bylaw officers for unlawful behaviour.

The law today does not bar people from giving fake addresses, fake names or refusing to identify themselves to bylaw officers.

Councillors endorsed the mayor's call for new law, with reservations.

Several raised concerns that giving bylaw officers the power to compel ID could lead to minorities being asked to identify themselves at unwarranted rates, similar to the controversy around police who over-stop people of colour and demand their ID.

Hearing concerns, Jaworsky agreed to amend the request so that "appropriate experts" would be asked for input alongside legislators and municipalities.

Coun. Jen Vasic figures experts in racial justice could be included. She's concerned about "structural oppression" in law enforcement.

"We don't even know that we necessarily hold those biases," she said in an interview.

Council's unanimous request for new legislation will be sent to Premier Doug Ford, to Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife, and to municipalities.

Jaworsky is uncertain if the request will gain any traction. He raised the idea recently with members of the Progressive Conservative government.

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