Oct 8, 2026
The Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa has been fined more than $1,800 by the city over nuisance activity on its property, while the museum says it doesn’t have the resources to provide the recommended security measures.
The museum has been raising concerns about activity around its downtown property for years, including trespassing, littering, loitering and other problems. It says it has repeatedly sought police assistance and asked municipal and regional officials for additional support as the problems have continued.
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“We don’t have the means” to provide 24-hour private security or fencing and gates around the parking lot, executive director and curator Alexandra Miller-Gerrard told CityNews.
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Why is the museum being fined?
The City of Oshawa has issued the museum more than $1,800 in fines in recent weeks over nuisance activity on the property, CityNews reported.
Oshawa’s Nuisance By-law prohibits activities including loitering, littering, defacing or damaging property and conduct that interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of property. The bylaw also applies to private property exposed to public view.
The museum says it has invested in security cameras and exterior lighting, but Miller-Gerrard told CityNews it cannot afford 24-hour private security or fencing and gates around the parking lot.
CityNews also reported that the museum’s front window was smashed Tuesday.
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What happens when an encampment is on private property?
For a private property owner, Durham Region’s role is largely about outreach and support — not removing people from the property.
“Outreach services are voluntary,” Durham Region told Money.ca in an email. Staff work to build relationships with people who may be reluctant to engage and, when someone consents, can connect them with shelter, housing, health care, income supports and other services.
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Property owners can contact the Region to request outreach support. Staff can attend an encampment, speak with people staying there and coordinate with municipal partners. If a removal is planned, Durham says its outreach teams can work with those partners “to help ensure individuals are connected with supports before relocation occurs.”
That division of responsibility is also set out in Durham Region’s encampment strategy. Property owners are responsible for identifying and reporting encampments, providing notice when they plan to remove one and leading the cleanup and removal of abandoned encampments.
Municipalities handle bylaw concerns and can coordinate inspections and relocation efforts, while Durham Social Services leads the housing-focused outreach.
The Region also tracks encampment locations and works with municipal bylaw, fire services, police, paramedics and health outreach providers on health and safety concerns.
The museum wants a broader response
In an Oct. 2 statement, the museum said it had raised concerns with municipal and regional representatives for years and had requested additional support and a meeting to discuss the situation. It said a meeting had not yet been confirmed.
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The museum said it had received $1,500 in municipal bylaw fines during the previous two weeks and that staff were dealing with daily vandalism and damage to the exterior of the building, leading to multiple non-emergency calls to Durham Regional Police each week.
It also said its parking revenue had fallen more than 34% since 2023, which it attributed to people being uncomfortable parking in the area. That figure and the reason for the decline are the museum’s own assessment.
The museum has called for a coordinated response involving the City of Oshawa, Durham Region, social-service providers and downtown businesses. Its proposed measures include additional security cameras, changes to the parking lot and other security and infrastructure improvements.
“We want our visitors, staff, volunteers and neighbours to feel safe downtown, and we want businesses and cultural organizations to succeed here,” Miller-Gerrard said in the statement.
The museum says it plans to appeal the fines while continuing to seek support from the city and region.
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Steven Brennan is a freelance finance writer based in Vancouver, BC. He holds a BA and an MA from Maynooth University, Ireland. His work regularly appears at Canadian Mortgage Trends, Lowest Rates, Loans Canada and other Canadian and U.S. brands.
