See a parking infraction? Report it through City of Edmonton’s 311 app

Instead of calling police, Edmonton residents with parking concerns are now asked to report them to the city through 311 or through the 311 app.

Until now, the Edmonton Police Service’s non-emergency line received an average of 30,000 parking complaints a year. Those complaints were then sent to the city’s parking enforcement officers to take action.

Having 311 field the parking complaints means a simpler reporting process for Edmontonians and takes the workload off police.

“Now 311 will get those and allow police to focus on those more critical calls and higher-priority calls,” said parking enforcement coordinator Erin Blaine.

WATCH: The city is hoping to expand the options available on its 311 app 

Anyone who wants to report a parking issue can either call 311, or, perhaps even better, use the Edmonton 311 App. The city is promoting the app as the first option for residents.

“A citizen will either make their complaint through the 311 app or they will call 311,” Blaine said. “Their complaint is recorded real-time, sent directly to the officer who is working, then the officer will prioritize his or her calls and attend the calls on that shift.”

With the app, people can send a photo with their complaint and use their smartphone’s GPS function to pinpoint the exact location.

“The great thing about the app is you can provide a picture and we’re able to streamline the process much faster,” Blaine said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The great thing about the app is you can provide a picture and we're able to streamline the process much faster," Blaine said.

Citizens can also check the status of their requests, city officials said.

Reportable parking offences include:

• parking without a required permit in a restricted zone
• parking in an accessible parking spot without a valid permit
• parking and abandoning a vehicle

READ MORE: ‘Lazy is not a disability’: City of Edmonton reminds drivers accessible stalls are for those with disabilities 

“We do get a lot of abandoned vehicle calls,” Blaine said. “Those are great to have when we can get to them before the snow falls and get the abandoned vehicles off the road. Private property calls — vehicles that are parked on private property without authorization — as well as safety concerns – parking too close to crosswalks, fire hydrants, yield signs, intersections, emergency access routes and accessible parking stalls without a valid permit.”

Complaints reported through the app also allow the city to track problem areas.

Residents can also report parking complaints by phoning 311 or online at edmonton.ca/bylaws.