Toronto jacks up the price for parking without paying

New, higher parking fines came into effect in Toronto, with drivers looking at penalties as high as $200 for some offences.

The City of Toronto increased 123 separate offences on Thursday, Aug. 1, including for parking in bike lanes, failing to pay to park or a non-electric vehicle taking up a zero-emissions spot.

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The city said it hoped increasing parking fines would “support safer roads” and “help reduce congestion” by encouraging greater compliance with existing rules.

The fine for parking without paying for space has increased from $30 to $50, while parking in a bike lane has gone from $60 to $200. Parking in an electric charging spot but not charging your vehicle comes with a $75 fine under the new rules.

The increases were approved at a city council meeting in April.

“Increasing fines can help reduce congestion by discouraging drivers from parking and stopping their vehicles in high-traffic areas and encouraging people to consider other modes of transportation such as walking, cycling or public transit to promote a smoother flow of traffic,” the city said in a media release.