Montreal tourists owe $8.5M in unpaid traffic tickets

MONTREAL – Tourists in Montreal owe $8.5 million worth of traffic tickets, according to city officials, but they won’t be collecting any time soon.

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Why?

Once a tourist leaves the province, Montreal police can’t cross the border and collect the fines.

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Since 2012, the number of unpaid speeding and parking tickets has increased five-fold.

Quebec does have agreements with Ontario, New York and Maine, but only for the purpose of sharing information.

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Global News legal expert Philip Schneider explained the city could establish more cross-border collaborations, or require drivers to pay their tickets immediately when they are stopped.

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The City of Montreal told Global News that a court notice of payment is sent to defendants outside Quebec for unpaid tickets, but after a certain period of time, police officers are unable to enforce procedures.