Article content
Parking fines in the City of Toronto just went up, more than doubling to $75 for vehicles illegally parked on private or city property. The previous fine was $30.
Before seeing red over this 150 per cent increase, drivers may want to pay a visit to a tweet on the city’s social media site, where a friendly bicycle patrol officer who goes by the handle @TPS_BikeHart spells out the new rules.
Article content
“Listen up Toronto,” she begins brightly, “because if you park on private property illegally it’s about to get a lot more expensive for you.”
Article content
She continues: “That’s if you’re parking in a private parking lot, or somebody’s reserved parking spot on private property. Just be aware that the fine is going up to Seventy! Five! Dollars!” (The camera zooms in menacingly over those last words.)
“Stay safe out there Toronto, park legally and avoid tickets,” she concludes. “And follow my channel.”
City council approved the increase during its October meeting, with the change taking effect Dec. 1. The issue came up about a month earlier when it was noticed that parking costs during special events like the Honda Indy were sometimes as high as $45.
This meant wily drivers could roll the dice and park illegally, knowing that at worst they’d be out the price of a $30 ticket, thus saving money. The new fines are meant to close that so-called loophole.
The move also brings the law in line with Green P lots, which since 2021 have been issuing fines of $75 for vehicles that park but do not pay.
Related Stories
-
How parking became a hot button issue for RCMP
-
Trash Panda, a raccoon-based video game
Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here.
Share this article in your social network