Citing the trend for higher awards in recent lawsuits, Guelph-Eramosa council has decided to stick with more stringent insurance requirements for special events.
At its final meeting in April, council considered a request to reduce its liability insurance requirement from $5-million to $2-million from Harvey Thomson, an organizer of the May 29 Food Cycle Ride, a cycling fundraiser for the Centre Wellington Food Bank.
Guelph-Eramosa moved to the $5-million threshold in 2009, but Thomson said in a letter that effectively raises the insurance premium for organizers “by two-thirds to just under $1,000.”
Mayor Chris White noted some of the township’s sideroads are “pretty busy,” but he also said the municipality does not want to mimic the behaviour of the province and put in all sorts of onerous requirements.
“What’s reasonable?” White asked.
Councillor Doug Breen lamented that “insurance should be a game in Las Vegas,” and he wondered why it has to be $2-million or $5-million, suggesting $3-million may be a better choice.
But councillor Corey Woods countered, “Would it be better at [$3.5-million]? Are we splitting hairs here?”
Parks and recreation manager Robin Milne told council most event organizers have a larger company, body, or organization behind them to pay for insurance.
Breen suggested then perhaps the township should stick with the $5-million requirement, and the rest of council agreed.
They also rejected the request from Thomson for relief from another township requirement: that organizers provide notice to those living on the local roads where the event will be taking place.
