If you have an unpaid parking ticket, your time is running out to get it paid. 

On Monday night, city council unanimously passed all three readings of the Impounding Bylaw, which gives the city the power to tow vehicles registered to people owing the city money for outstanding parking tickets. 

As of December 2020, about 4,000 people were owing the city over $1 million in parking tickets. Up until now, the city didn’t have a mechanism to enforce the collection of outstanding parking tickets. 

A copy of the bylaw will also be shared with the Moose Jaw Police Service, and they will be notified when the city plans to tow a vehicle. 

Under the Cities Act, the city has the power to seize vehicles to collect outstanding parking fines. The Act is retroactive to 2006, meaning that the city can tow the vehicle of anyone owing fines dating back to Jan. 1, 2006. 

According to the bylaw, seizing a vehicle will be a four-step process: 

  1. Confirm the offender’s current address. 

  1. Send the offender a written notice that their vehicle may be towed if they do not pay. 

  1. If they do not pay by a certain date, any vehicle registered in their name will be located and the towing company will be alerted of the location. Police will also be notified that a certain vehicle will be towed. 

  1. The offender will receive another letter that their vehicle has been seized and they can attend the impound lot to pay the fine and any associated towing fees. 

The Impound Bylaw says the vehicle will stay in the impound lot for at least 30 days. If the parking ticket remains unpaid, the city has the authority to put the vehicle up for sale to recuperate lost revenue. 

You can read the entire bylaw here. 

Related Stories