Halifax business owner ‘infuriated’ by proposed parking ticket fine hike

Downtown Halifax business owner Gordon Stevens says he’s not happy about the city’s proposal to double parking ticket fines from $25 to $50.

Stevens, owner of five downtown businesses including Uncommon Grounds, Sugah and Lost Cod Clothing Co., took to Facebook Wednesday to express his frustration with the city’s claims the $25 fine is too cheap.

READ MORE: Halifax owed over $1M in unpaid parking tickets from out-of-province visitors

“We don’t need to add fuel to a fire that’s been burning for years and years by upping the fines by 100 per cent,” Gordon said Friday.

The proposal came up during city budget discussions at regional council Wednesday.

Halifax spokesperson Brendan Elliott said Friday the city is looking at increasing the fines as a way to “cycle cars through the downtown.”

“A lot of complaints that we hear is that people will park there for the day, pump the metre with money and then ultimately that spot doesn’t open up for people that are actually wanting to get into the downtown, which goes towards what a lot of people thinking that there’s no parking downtown,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "A lot of complaints that we hear is that people will park there for the day, pump the metre with money and then ultimately that spot doesn't open up for people that are actually wanting to get into the downtown, which goes towards what a lot of people thinking that there's no parking downtown," he said.

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Elliott said this is more about encouraging visitors to follow the rules rather than make money, insisting the city hopes to actually bring in less money, because the higher tickets will discourage drivers from parking over their time.

According to stats from the city, Halifax’s parking ticket fines are the lowest in the country, at $25 to $100.

In Vancouver, they’re $70 to $500.

Fee hike will ‘leave a bad taste’ in some visitors’ mouths

Stevens called the proposal “infuriating,” noting businesses already jump through many hoops with the city, like construction mitigation and conversations about making downtown more inviting, without seeing much change.

“The only change that has been suggested now is to increase fines by 100 per cent, to fund things like a planning department?” he said.

Stevens said he’s worried tourists and folks who don’t usually go downtown are the ones who will get burned if ticket prices go up, as getting one big ticket may “leave a bad taste in their mouth.”

“The risk of getting [a ticket] at $50, I think, will impact the way people view visiting downtown,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The risk of getting [a ticket] at $50, I think, will impact the way people view visiting downtown," he said.

Stevens said he’s talked to councillors Waye Mason and Shawn Cleary to express his concerns with the idea, but feels that council has made up their mind and is in favour of raising the fines.

READ MORE: Downtown Halifax businesses take legal action over Nova Centre construction impact

“A number of us have contacted them saying, if you want higher compliance then you need to be issuing more tickets, stack the tickets, do other things, you can’t simply just say ‘we’re going to double the fine,'” Stevens said.

Elliott argued they’re not increasing meter prices, which he said would be a deterrent to people visiting downtown.

“We’re saying if you park longer than you’re supposed to, we’re going to nail you for it because right now we feel that the fine isn’t enough to discourage people from moving,” Elliott said.