Involved in a crash in Edmonton? You'll no longer report it to EPS
Starting Thursday, if you’re involved in a collision in Edmonton, you’ll no longer report it to the Edmonton Police Service. Instead, drivers will go to one of two private collision reporting centres run by Accident Support Services International (ASSI).
Officials say the change will be more efficient, and there will be no extra cost to taxpayers.
“This has been a long time coming actually, 17 years,” said Edmonton Police Service Chief Dale McFee at a press conference on Thursday.
“It will improve road safety by removing collisions from the roadside faster, it will provide motorists with an enhanced service, and certainly better customer service, and ASSI’s record management system will help us better identify the trends and route causes driving safety issues on our streets.”
Upon arrival at one of the centres, drivers will fill out their report at a kiosk.
Accident Support Services International collision reporting centre in Edmonton.
The report will include photos of the damage to prevent fraud, and will be sent to the insurance company.
The bill for the centres will be paid by insurance companies.
“We put a file together, we send it to them, and they pay us per file. And that’s how we subsidize this whole program,” said Steve Sanderson, ASSI president. “So it’s no cost to the public, it’s no cost to the police, there’s no cost to the municipality.”
The program is already running in smaller Alberta municipalities like Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat.
“We’ve been partnered with them for a long time and it has worked so well,” said Mercida Holstein, AMA Insurance claims manager. “What it means for us is - as they said - great customer service because we’re getting our police reports much more quickly than we would.”
Accident Support Services International collision reporting centre in Edmonton.
Police say there are about 34,000 crashes on Edmonton roads annually.
There will be about 10 officers at each ASSI centre to look over reports, but officials say privatizing the reporting will free up other officers to deal with more important issues.
“The public has consistently voiced their want to see their police service use its resources more efficiently,” McFee said.
The centres are located at 15750 116 Avenue and 5805 87A Street.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.