‘I’m pissed’: Calgary man forced to pay over $450 after stolen vehicle impounded

A Calgary man is speaking out after being charged more than $450 to retrieve his stolen vehicle from a city impound lot — a fee he says unfairly penalizes victims of crime.

Francois Pigeon’s ordeal began on Sept. 3, when his car was stolen from outside his home in southeast Calgary.

Police later recovered the vehicle and arrested a suspect, but Pigeon says the real shock came when he was told he’d have to pay hundreds of dollars to get his car back.

“When they said $450, I thought there had to be a mistake,” Pigeon said. “I was pissed.”

The vehicle had been towed to an impound lot off Macleod Trail, a facility typically used for improperly parked cars. Despite being the victim of a crime, Pigeon was billed for the towing and storage of his own vehicle.

“Where is my money going?” he asked. “That’s the whole point — where is my money going?”

According to the City of Calgary, the fees cover the cost of towing the vehicle to a secure location and storing it until the owner or their insurance company can retrieve it. In a statement, the city said it also offers a Fair Entry program to assist lower-income residents with reduced fees.

But Pigeon, who has since paid the full amount, says the policy feels unjust.

“I’m a victim of a crime… like the city created this mess,” he said. “That’s not justice — that’s the city profiting off its citizens’ misfortune.”

While Pigeon acknowledges he’s fortunate enough to afford the fee, he worries about others who may not be so lucky.

“That’s not the point,” he said. “What about the people who aren’t fortunate?”