Auto insurance hearings hold Brampton session

Provincial politicians heard from a broker, doctors, a physical therapist, a brain injury victim and others during local public hearings on the auto insurance industry. Brampton hosted the second meeting in a series of public hearings being conducted in several Ontario communities. The provincial governments Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs has organized the sessions as part of a study of the auto insurance industrys practices and trends. The study was undertaken to develop recommendations on how auto insurance rates could be made more affordable. The Committee, composed of MPPs from the Liberal, Progressive Conservative and New Democratic parties, was in Toronto Monday. Tuesdays session was held at Bramptons Holiday Inn on Peel Centre Drive. More meetings are scheduled in Windsor and Thunder Bay this week. Mississauga-Brampton South Liberal MPP Amrit Mangat and Bramalea-Gore-Malton New Democrat Jagmeet Singh joined committee proceedings Tuesday to hear speakers and ask questions of presenters. Both politicians have introduced private members bills designed to help lower insurance rates. Singhs was focussed on preventing a drivers home address from being used as the primary factor in determining their policy rates. His proposed bill was rejected by 52-16 vote in the legislature during second reading last month. Mangats bill seeks to help combat insurance fraud and lower industry costs associated with covering fraudulent claims. Mangat is hopeful insurance companies would pass on the those savings to consumers through lower rates. Gerry Kylie, of Heart Lake Insurance Brokers, urged politicians around the hearing table to find a way to curtail fraud in the industry. Kylie, whose family has been in the business for 41 years, said he sees far too many accident benefit payouts exceed the actual value of damage to vehicles by tens of thousands of dollars. What has been happening defies all logic, he told committee members in part of his presentation. Speakers were granted about 20 minutes to present their submissions and then each party was given an opportunity to ask questions. Fraud and abuse in the system are playing a major role in rising insurance rates, Kylie suggested. I dont care who gets credit for taking action here, he remarked. But action must be taken. Doctors with the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) and the Canadian Academy of Psychological Disability Assessors (CAPDA), said measures being taken to address fraud are showing results. However, they warned, some industry reform implemented by the provincial government in 2010 is harming accident victims who suffer brain injuries and develop psychological conditions. Health professionals told MPPs failures in the system are impeding access to assessment, treatment and rehabilitation and resulting in some of these victims becoming drains on the public health care system or turning to the courts for resolution. Tammy Dumas, associate director with the Ontario Brain Injury Association, said proposed changes to the definition of catastrophic brain injury would prevent more victims from receiving treatment when many are already falling through cracks in the system. Steve Noyes, the former information technology director at Mount Sinai Hospital, joined Dumas at the speakers table led by his guide dog Tonka. Noyes was hit by a bus while crossing the street on his way home from work in June 2007. He suffered a brain injury that has also impaired his vision. My brain injury was unfortunate, he said. However, I was fortunate to have been deemed catastrophic and as a result gained access to resources that allowed me to work with a specialized team in my own home. That rehabilitation team and environment were critical to helping him and his family learn to live again, he explained. Singh is still not convinced fighting fraud is the key to lowering insurance rates. Speakers, so far, have also given the legislature a lot of other issues to think about, he suggested. Mangat said fraud is still her focus, but she remains open to good ideas what will help the industry and consumers.

Gas plant location finally named

The Ontario government has confirmed the controversial gas-fired power plant, once rumoured to be headed for construction in Brampton, will be located in Lambton County, just northeast of Sarnia.

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Auto insurance hearings hold Brampton session