Pay hike: Parking fines increase in Regina, Saskatoon

Prepare to pay more for getting a parking ticket in Saskatchewan’s largest cities.

In Regina, all parking fines are going up $10 as of July 1.

The price hike includes everything from parking too close to a fire hydrant, to parking too far from the curb.

Getting a ticket for parking at an expired meter, for example, will now cost $65, a bump from $55.

“The most common ticket that we write is parked in a metered stall where the meter showed time expired,” said Faisal Kalim, the city’s manager of parking services.

“The most common service request we get is somebody parked on a road for longer than 24 hours.”

There are three exemptions in Regina, which all involve parking on private property.

A $35 discount will remain in place if the ticket is paid off within the first 14 calendar days of receiving the fine.

In Saskatoon, a parking ticket will still cost drivers $50, but the early pay option has increased from $20 to $30.

The bump to the early option is expected to generate another $750,000 a year in Saskatoon.

REGINA SEES DECREASE IN PARKING TICKETS

The idea to increase fines was first brought to the table by Regina Coun. Bob Hawkins in April during discussions on a re-opened city budget.

Council ultimately approved the idea.

Kalim estimates the move will add another $500,000 a year to revenues, though he said it’ll depend on how many tickets are written and how many are actually paid.

He said the last number of years have seen a decrease in both parking tickets issued and associated revenue.

There’s been a concerted effort by the city in recent years on educating the public on the parking bylaw, which Kalim hopes is increasing the knowledge base and therefore reducing fines.

– With files from JT Marshall