Most Winnipeg bike retailers are against a mandatory point-of-sale bike registry, according to a city report.
In late December Ross Eadie, the city councillor for Mynarski, created a motion calling on the city to study a mandatory registry that could be used to help track down stolen bikes.
"The idea here is why don't we just do it at purchase, eventually all of the bikes will be recorded," said Eadie at the time.
The motion was passed in January, and the report says since then members of the public service consulted with police, retailers and the company that runs the city’s voluntary registry.
It said while such a registry has value, there would be “significant challenges” to both getting it up and running and enforcing the mandatory nature.
That’s why public servants are recommending against bringing one in.
The report said bike retailers were against registration at point of purchase and had concerns over collecting information and passing it on to the city. They were also concerned with how much time this would take staff.
The report said police support a voluntary registry and “WPS identified opportunities to enhance or improve resources available to residents in their efforts to curb bike theft,” which will be explored in the near future.
