Winnipeg police launch review over towing contract concerns
Lack of tracking, transparency about work requirements raised red flags for councillor
Winnipeg police have launched an internal review of their towing contracts after a city councillor raised concerns about lack of transparency and accountability.
A spokesperson for the police service told CBC News they launched an internal review after Coun. Janice Lukes raised concerns about the contract in August. They have since found gaps in their contract administration procedures, and are looking into whether towing records were properly kept.
"Given that this review remains ongoing, we will not make further comment at this time," Supt. Brian Miln wrote in an email statement.
A previous contract in 2013 clearly stated the amount of work the contract involved, and procedures for tracking that work, information the city needs to make sure it's getting paid what it's owed by Tartan.
Those tracking requirements and detailed work expectations were removed from subsequent contracts issued in 2019 and earlier this year, one of many "red flags" Lukes found with the process.
"I'm glad that the police are looking at it, but I truly believe that a third independent party needs to look at it," she said.
"Contracts need to be written so that everyone can bid on them. They need to be fair, open, transparent and these ones aren't."
Zakria Shoaib, who owns Bison Towing, built a compound on Hyde Avenue in the hope of winning a lucrative contract with Winnipeg police, but despite submitting the lowest bid, the contact went to another company.
Now, Winnipeg police have launched a review of their towing contracts.
"There have been gaps in their contract administration process," Shoaib said. "The fact is that if I didn't bid this contract, those gaps were never going to get covered. This is alarming."
The city received three bids on the contract:
- Dr. Hook, $113,600.
- Tartan Towing, $18,500.
- Bison Towing, $14.70.
The contract went to Tartan, the same company the city sued last year over accusations that it billed the city for tows that never happened.
Shoaib says he submitted such a low bid because after reviewing previous contracts, he realized it would involve much more work than had been included in the request for proposals.
The city's contract stated it involved towing police vehicles. However,Shoaib and Lukes say the bulk of the work, and the contract's value, came from towing and storing vehicles for other legislated reasons, such as criminal investigations and impaired driving.
The city is supposed to receive $25 for every tow performed under the contract, but it did not include the same detailed tracking requirements it did in 2013, leaving the city with no way of knowing whether it was receiving what it was owed, Lukes said.
"That doesn't bode well for the public dollar, and that doesn't bode well for transparency, and that doesn't bode well for keeping everything legit," he said.
External investigation 'premature'
Mayor Scott Gillingham said in an email statement that while Lukes raises important questions, it's "premature" to talk about an external investigation.
"Let's gather the information first and go from there," he said.
Shoaib agrees with the call for an external review.
"I want RCMP to investigate this. A deep dive, a forensic audit on all this," he said.
The contract gave the city the option of four one-year extensions.
A city spokesperson says it will repost the contract next year, and clarify the quantity and descriptions of the towing services included.
A separate towing contract for the Winnipeg Parking Authority was also rescinded and will be reposted.
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