The number of parking tickets issued by the City of Guelph has dropped significantly as the city resumed charging for parking tickets earlier this month.
Parking enforcement and collection of Guelph transit fees resumed July 6 when Guelph was in Stage 2 of the province’s reopening plan. From July 6 to July 23, the city issued 481 parking tickets. In the same time frame last year, the city issued 1,042 parking tickets.
“The number/frequency of parking tickets is about 55 per cent lower than the same time last year, and our approach to enforcement is consistent with pre-COVID-19,” said Stacey Hare, communications specialist at the City of Guelph.
The city stopped charging for parking and enforcing time limits when Mayor Cam Guthrie issued a state of emergency for Guelph. However, they continued enforcing parking safety.
“It was a gesture designed to support the community as people stopped working, and colleges and universities sent students home. Also, there was no way for us to know who may have been self-isolating, and unable to move their vehicle,” said Hare.
The city also honoured March parking passes for the month of July and announced they will resume monthly fees on Aug. 1. Parking spaces are also being held for pass holders who at no cost until Sept. 1.
“Enforcement resumed slowly to give people a chance to learn about the changes,” Hare said about the city taking a gradual opening to reopening by announcing these changes on June 17.
She said the set fines are the same as they were pre-pandemic and range from $35 to $500.
