Oshawa museum fines reported as cancelled on Wednesday remain in place, according to the Canadian Automotive Museum and a clarification from the councillor whose social-media post caused the confusion.
The museum said city staff advised executive director Alex Miller-Gerrard that the earlier fines had not been removed. It also said two additional tickets arrived by mail on October 7, bringing the reported total to $2,750.
Councillor Brian Nicholson said his original message stated that the previous enforcement approach would not be pursued going forward. He said an AI-generated Facebook interpretation incorrectly turned that statement into a claim that the existing fines had been cancelled.
Tickets remain subject to a legal process
Nicholson said issued tickets follow a legal process and that neither council members nor senior city staff can interfere with that process. He also said the inaccurate social-media post was removed after Facebook was notified.
The museum’s tickets concern Oshawa’s loitering and nuisance bylaw. Museum officials say the property has faced recurring trespassing, vandalism, litter, unauthorized use and other activity outside operating hours.
The independent charitable museum says it has added cameras, exterior lighting, signs and staff monitoring, but cannot afford round-the-clock private security. It is seeking a coordinated response involving the city, Durham Region, police, social-service organizations, businesses and cultural institutions.
Correction to earlier coverage
An earlier All About Durham article reported that the fines had been cancelled, based on an initial local report. That statement is incorrect. This follow-up records the museum’s confirmation that the fines remain and the councillor’s explanation of how the inaccurate claim appeared.
A meeting between museum representatives and city staff was expected Friday. The latest reports did not announce a decision on the existing tickets or approval of the museum’s requested security measures.
