In some areas of Toronto, fines are cheaper than parking fees

Do you feel lucky? If so, you might decide to park your car for free in one of the downtown Toronto areas, especially in tourist zones, instead of paying for parking. This could save you from paying a $45 parking fee, for example, in the Distillery District. Recent reports indicate that many city-owned parking lots in tourist areas charge $45, which is more than the $30 parking fine. However, it's worth noting that parking fines in Toronto increased to $75 in 2021, but this increase only applies to some areas. The City of Toronto has now decided to raise parking fines.
Don Boyle, the CEO of Exhibition Place, stated that the city agency adopted a new parking fee structure for nearly 6,000 of its spots last December and increased rates and costs for special events such as BMO Field games, Honda Indy, and Caribbean Carnival. He explained that the agency knew that if fine rates weren't adjusted, it would become problematic. Therefore, they decided to collaborate with the city's transportation department to implement these changes. Toronto City Council has also approved new measures to address its financial challenges.

The use of bicycles in Toronto has increased over the years, but some parts of the city still face challenges. Regarding parking fines, city officials said, "We've looked at how the city is handling this, and we need to set rates in a way that discourages violations." City staff reported that they've examined fine rates in neighboring GTA municipalities and found that the average parking ticket price is higher than Toronto's current $30 rate. If the committee and then the City Council approve the changes, higher parking fines will be enforced from December 1st. Paul Ainslie, Chair of the General Government Committee, expressed disappointment that this loophole hasn't been closed earlier but remains optimistic that his colleagues on the council will approve these changes.

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