As summer arrives in Toronto, police and city officials are launching a parking enforcement blitz across the city’s downtown core, targeting vehicles pulled up in no-stopping zones during rush hour.
On Monday, the City of Toronto and Toronto police jointly announced the two-week enforcement action, which will be concentrated on major arterial roads during rush hour.
“Stopping in a No Stopping Zone slows everyone down,” Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement.
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“A single vehicle can be a big contributor to traffic congestion, especially on our busy downtown corridors. It’s important that everyone obeys the No Stopping signs in these clearly marked areas because we all have a role to play in keeping Toronto moving.”
Toronto is grappling with some of the worst traffic in North America, exacerbated by years-long lane closures on the Gardiner Expressway for rehabilitation work. Reports from local business groups put the cost of congestion at almost $45 billion.
The new enforcement blitz is designed to stop vehicles from blocking key routes, even to complete short deliveries or drop-offs. It will run for two weeks, with another one scheduled for September.
Vehicles found to be stopping those areas face a $190 ticket and the prospect of their car being towed, the city said.
The stepped-up enforcement will run until June 27 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. around Toronto’s downtown core.
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