Ask the Councillor: Parking at 399 Elizabeth St.

Resident J.M. asks: The city I believe monitors the parking at the back of 399 Elizabeth St, and issues tickets for unpaid/expired parking. I realize that the city gains revenue from this but do we have no say in charges? The hourly fee is $4, twice the city rate and the fine is a whopping $75, again twice city rates. Why do we do this for the property owner at these excessive/unfair rates? The city should have no part in this!

Response:

The city enters into agreements with a number of private parking lots; we provide enforcement, and the ticket revenue pays for that enforcement service. The city has no jurisdiction to set prices for private companies, including private parking. However, prices charged cannot be excessive if the city is going to provide enforcement. The property owners at 399 Elizabeth installed the parking signs listing the rates in August 2013. Parking Services immediately ceased enforcement at this location because of the excessive fees and requested the signs to be removed before we would resume enforcement. Currently, the signs are still posted and the city is not providing enforcement at this location. If a resident receives a ticket it would not be issued by the city, but by a private company and the city has no power of authority to intervene with the parking arrangements made for this private property.

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