The Township of Esquimalt has decided to update the way parking, parking fines and bylaw enforcement is handled in the region.
According to a recent review, the Township is owed $112,892 in overdue parking fines from the past five years alone, which is a big reason why a new approach to enforcement and collections is being sought.
This review also analyzed Esquimalt’s bylaw staffing levels, how fines are collected, available technology used to process citations and the working hours of enforcement staff.
The result of the review and presentation brought before Esquimalt’s town council on Monday, May 26th resulted in several recommendations being accepted.
First off, staff will continue collecting on outstanding fines and collaborate with a collections service to support improved compliance and recovery of outstanding fines.
Additionally, council directed staff to initiate after-hours bylaw enforcement to focus on parking infractions. These after-hours bylaw officers’ hours will vary depending on peak times and forthcoming feedback from the business community.
The business community will be contacted because the Township frequently hears from business owners who are concerned about vehicle turnover—enforcing time limits on main roads so customers have access to good parking spots.
The after-hours approach will be fluid and evolve as Township staff assess what works and what doesn’t.
“As Esquimalt continues to grow, so do our bylaw enforcement needs. We’ve hit a threshold where the older way of processing tickets isn’t keeping up with the demand,” said Mayor Barbara Desjardins.
“Modernizing our approach to not only collections but also how we manage tickets is a key step in this process and we’re looking forward to implementing new tools to do so.”
Esquimalt residents wishing to make a bylaw complaint can continue to do so online. After-hours bylaw complaints should be directed to the VicPD non-emergency line as usual.
The Township of Esquimalt urges residents with outstanding parking tickets to pay their fines at their earliest opportunity, otherwise they will be hearing from a collections firm in the coming weeks.
Tickets can be paid in person by cash, cheque, money order or debit card at Esquimalt municipal hall.
