A father from British Columbia is frustrated after receiving notice of an Alberta photo radar ticket that he believes his deceased son received a decade ago. Mike Boissonneault’s son, Adrian, passed away six years ago in a traffic accident, making the situation even more heartbreaking for him. Boissonneault received a notice stating that a vehicle registered to him was caught speeding in Alberta in 2014, and he had failed to pay the fine. After realizing that the ticket was likely received by his son, whom he had bought a vehicle for while he was studying in Alberta in 2014, Boissonneault attempted to resolve the issue by providing Adrian’s death certificate to officials in Alberta. However, his efforts were met with resistance, and he was told that his only option was to dispute the ticket in person in Leduc, Alberta.
Boissonneault, who had no knowledge of the ticket until three weeks ago, did not appear in court for his scheduled date. He was informed that he could still fight the ticket, but he would have to do so in Alberta or risk having the Canada Revenue Agency deduct the fine from his 2023 tax return. Despite feeling like a victim of a money grab, Boissonneault is determined to fight the ticket on principle, as he believes it is unfair for him to be held responsible for a ticket that his deceased son received. He expressed frustration with the amount of time and resources that have been spent by various government agencies in an attempt to collect a relatively small fine of $148.
According to Charlie Pester, who leads the group POINTTS: The Traffic Ticket Specialists, the rules regarding photo radar tickets in Alberta are straightforward. If a vehicle registered in someone’s name is caught speeding, the registered owner will be held responsible for the ticket, regardless of who was driving the vehicle at the time. Pester explained that individuals can contest these types of tickets by applying to set aside a conviction, which would result in a new trial date being set. However, many people choose not to contest photo radar tickets due to the perceived hassle and costs involved.
Boissonneault expressed his frustration with the situation, emphasizing that it is not about the money but the principle of the matter. Despite facing challenges in disputing the ticket, he is determined to fight it and believes that the efforts and resources being spent by government agencies to collect a relatively small fine are disproportionate. He criticized the process, feeling that as both an innocent party and a grieving father, he should not be held accountable for a ticket received by his deceased son. Despite facing an uphill battle to resolve the issue, Boissonneault remains resolute in his determination to challenge the ticket and seek justice in memory of his late son.
