Toronto motorists who park on city streets in legal spaces won’t have to pay for parking if the parking machine is across the street, after Global News exposed safety concerns and unfairness with the city’s enforcement practices.
Parking enforcement officers have been ticketing drivers who have parked on some streets where there was no machine on the block, but that practice is going to change immediately.
“In light of your (Global News) inquiries, we’ve looked into the matter and we didn’t have a policy in this regard,” said Brian Moniz, operations supervisor with the Toronto Police parking enforcement unit.
“We’re directing out staff if a machine is missing or out of order that there’s no enforcement to take place.”
READ MORE: What to do if a City of Toronto pay and display parking machine is broken?
Global News discovered an area on Church Street north of Isabella where the Toronto Parking Authority machine has been missing for weeks.
It was removed for sidewalk repairs and is scheduled to be returned soon, according to police. But it’s not the only area of the city with street parking and no machine nearby.
Technically, Moniz says there’s an expectation drivers pay up.
“By the letter of the law, the bylaw indicates that payment must be made where the machine is operational,” he said.
WATCH: What to do if Toronto parking machine is out of order
But in order to reach one of the machines, the driver must walk between 120 and 160 steps and cross a street at a light.
Based on several tests by Global News, it would take someone between two and three minutes to reach the machine and pay. It would then take another two or more minutes to return to the vehicle.
In that time, the driver might have received a ticket from an enforcement officer.
“It’s so unfair, it’s like they want us to get tickets,” said Sarah Davis, a frustrated Toronto driver who begrudgingly took a long walk and returned with a $4 ticket.
READ MORE: Breaking down parking ticket prices in the GTA
“They’ve got you!” joked Chris Owens, another driver who lamented the long hike, on an icy sidewalk. But he said he didn’t want to risk getting a parking ticket.
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In recent weeks, pedestrian accidents involving motor vehicles have been frequent and deadly. Police say they don’t want to encourage drivers to cross the street and risk injury.
“It’s not reasonable for members of the public to walk to another block or across the street,” said Moniz.
He said enforcement officers have been directed to refrain from ticketing anyone who is parked on the block without a machine, or on other streets where a machine is not immediately accessible.
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That will probably be welcome news to drivers wondering what to do.
The only problem is informing drivers: There are no signs informing anyone in the area that they won’t be ticketed.
So even with the consideration from police, drivers are likely still going to be confused about what to do.
Police say it’s up to the city of Toronto to post that information.
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