TORONTO - Drunk drivers in Ontario could lose their cars, trucks, motorcycles or snowmobiles under a new provincial law that takes effect Wednesday.
It allows the courts to impound a vehicle involved in a drinking and driving offence if it was also owned or driven by someone whose licence was suspended for drinking and driving at least twice in the last 10 years.
The vehicle can then be sold, and any victims of the drunk driving incident can apply for compensation from the proceeds.
The courts can also release the car if the owner agrees to install an ignition lock that forces the driver to pass a breath test, or agrees the people convicted of drunk driving will not have access to the vehicle.
Ontario's civil forfeiture law already allowed for the seizure of vehicles used for dangerous driving offences such as street racing, going 50 kilometres or more over the speed limit.
Attorney General Chris Bentley says the changes to the Civil Remedies Act set a new standard for road safety by targeting vehicles used by repeat drunk drivers.
In the past four years, a total of $4.1 million in property has been forfeited to the Crown in Ontario, which has about $13 million in property that is frozen waiting the outcome of civil forfeiture proceedings.
The Liberal government has used the Civil Remedies Act to close crack houses, marijuana grow operations and Hell's Angels club houses.
