The Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa is facing nearly $3,000 in city fines due to nuisance activity linked to unhoused people on its property, but leadership says the charitable institution needs support rather than penalties. Executive director and curator Alexandra Miller-Gerrard stated that the museum has received seven fines totaling $2,750 since September 15. A municipal order issued in June 2025 alleged that unhoused individuals were loitering, fighting, screaming, and littering on the site, violating local bylaws. The city instructed the institution to implement consistent preventative security measures to achieve compliance. In response, the museum upgraded its exterior lighting, installed better security cameras, and dedicated more staff time to monitoring the parking lot and reviewing footage. However, Miller-Gerrard emphasized that the museum cannot afford the fines, full-time security, or a new perimeter fence. The museum is urging the city for a partnership and practical solutions to ensure the vitality of downtown Oshawa. The organization hopes the city will review and remove the fines while providing financial assistance for extra security cameras, anti-graffiti protective coatings, and parking lot improvements. Miller-Gerrard noted that the facility has endured three broken windows, HVAC damage caused by stolen exterior copper, vandalized cameras, daily graffiti, and open drug use. Staff first reached out to the city and Durham Regional Police for assistance in 2024. She acknowledged that unhoused individuals have few options amid the local homelessness crisis and would likely prefer to be elsewhere. Tyler Frederick, an associate professor in criminology and justice at Ontario Tech University and a board member for Back Door Mission, argued that fining a charitable organization does not solve homelessness. He noted that relying on bylaw enforcement merely displaces people without addressing root causes and called for collaborative safety discussions. The museum has a meeting scheduled with city staff on Friday to discuss next steps as visitors report feeling unsafe in the area.
Source: cbc.ca
