WATCH ABOVE: A bright yellow parking ticket on your windshield can range from $30 to $450 in fines. Global News breaks down parking infractions in Toronto and the price tags associated with them.
TORONTO — It’s happened to most of us. A bright yellow ticket on your windshield that can range from $30 to $450 in parking fines.
Even a recent food truck festival at Woodbine Park over the civic holiday long weekend saw many people finding themselves with $100 parking tickets.
“There are safety issues. People shouldn’t be parking on grassy areas as children could be run over. These are park areas. It’s just not safe,” said David Armstrong, Toronto Police parking enforcement officer.
“It’s education by enforcement in these situations … in a lot of cases we do ask people to move their vehicles but in the ‘no stopping’ areas it is a mandate from the Mayor to have heavy enforcement and keep traffic flowing, so that is our approach.”
WATCH: Parking issues have Toronto festival goers crying foul
Armstrong says the highest fine for a parking infraction is for parking in an accessible space, which can get drivers a $450 parking ticket.
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“I think the fine matches the severity of the offence,” Armstrong said.
“People with accessibility issues need these spots. They are important to them and they need to be kept clear for them.”
Armstrong says since January, there has been heavy enforcement of parking fines.
“The vast amount of tickets we find are people in ‘no parking’ areas,” he said. “Basically, people are not obeying the signs.”
For those who paid for parking at the meter, but are running late, Armstrong says a 10 minute discretion period will be applied.
“The Toronto Police Service and the City felt it was best to vet it into law, so it is actually part of the bylaw now,” he said.
“We give 10 minutes in the metered areas over and above the time that is expired on your receipt … On the 11th minute, we will write you a ticket.”
Toronto Police Parking Enforcement urges Torontonians to pay special attention to signs when parking to avoid unnecessary parking tickets.
“Be more diligent and generally there will be something telling to not park there,” Armstrong said.
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