Tow trucks coming back to enforce Edmonton parking bans

Mrinali Anchan · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 04, 2025 6:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Tow trucks volition deed Edmonton's streets to boost the city's parking prohibition enforcement, portion fines are being chopped back. 

Edmonton metropolis assembly unanimously approved bylaw changes Wednesday to tackle the contented of cars being near connected the thoroughfare during seasonal parking bans for thoroughfare sweeping and snowfall clearing.

Administration presented a assortment of options for approaching parking prohibition enforcement, but assembly voted successful favour of tow trucks and reducing parking fines to $150 — oregon perchance lower, if the interest is paid wrong 7 days.

"We're facing fund constraints close now, and towing to the impound batch with [the Edmonton Police Service] wasn't an enactment fixed their ain capableness close now," Ward Anirniq Coun. Erin Rutherford told CBC News. 

She said taking into relationship budgetary concerns, and balancing a punitive approach with nationalist awareness, were yet what helped assembly onshore connected the last people of action. 

"This allows america to enactment tiny amounts of backing toward what we cognize is simply a bigger problem, spot however that affects the quality for workers to bash their work, and then, astatine the four-year budget, perchance adhd backing if this programme is working," Rutherford said.

The metropolis volition dedicate $100,000 for the upcoming wintertime for towing connected roads wherever metropolis operators are unable to safely oregon efficaciously wide the streets.

Fees reduced to amended accessibility

A caller metropolis study said enforcement officers handed retired astir 1,000 parking prohibition usurpation tickets successful the outpouring of 2024, aft not enforcing during the outpouring expanse for a decade.

Contracted officers issued astir 6,000 tickets this past spring, the study said.

In 2022, the metropolis seasonal parking prohibition fines from $100 to $250, truthful the fee served arsenic a stronger deterrent for non-compliance and aligned with different bylaw infractions.

But assembly is reducing the fines aft proceeding concerns astir accessibility.

Residents successful Rutherford's territory recognize the request for parking tickets, she said, "but to beryllium deed with a $250 good close disconnected the hop seemed truly drastic."

Rutherford said she heard from seniors successful her ward who were unaware of erstwhile parking bans were successful effect and were slapped with $500 successful fines, due to the fact that some of their household's cars were ticketed.

"That's truly hard for a elder connected fixed income," she said. "So to me, not lone bash we person to proceed to amended folks, [but] get radical to recognize erstwhile the parking prohibition is successful effect and erstwhile it affects their area."