Careful where you park: 22 vehicles at meters towed, despite HRM waiving parking fees
Posted Apr 21, 2020 08:56:57 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Halifax Regional Municipality announced on March 19, it would be suspending parking meter fees and other parking costs as it responds to COVID-19.
Since that date, 35 tickets have been issued to vehicles parked at meters, and 22 of them were towed for violating safety-related aspects of the Provincial Motor Vehicle Act.
All tickets were issued to vehicles parked on Hollis Street for being at meters marked “no stopping” between 4-6 p.m.
A ticket obtained by News 95.7, was issued to a vehicle at 4:03 p.m. last week, and according to its recipient who wishes to stay anonymous, their vehicle was gone by 4:10 p.m.
The fine for the parking violation was $25, and the source says they had to pay more than $175 for the tow, on top of taxi fees.
They are worried more drivers may be confused that while all parking meter fees have been waived, not all meters are free to park at.
Municipal spokesperson Brynn Budden says while HRM is not ticketing or towing vehicles at meters that are expired, staff continue to enforce safety-related violations like parking too close to a fire hydrant, and in no stopping, and no parking zones.
According to councillor for the area Waye Mason, the municipality has been clear with its messaging.
“It was an issue the first couple of days after parking fees were suspended, but staff are surprised like I am that this is still an issue,” he says.
Mason says he is going to take additional steps to help communicate which meters can’t be parked at during peak traffic times.
“I am going to see if we can get some different signage put up… or even attach them like we have on Spring Garden right to the meters just for the duration of the crisis,” he says. “If people parked there anyway, I would have no problem with towing them.”
According to a recent staff report, HRM revenue is being reduced by about $250,000 monthly from suspending parking fees. In total, the municipality is losing about $4.3 million each month because of the pandemic.
