(STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA FILE)
Parking scofflaws who have been avoiding paying their traffic tickets for more than six years are off the hook.
The City of Winnipeg is no longer going after the outstanding tickets due to realizing it was not complying with the Summary Convictions Act.
“As soon as the issue was brought to our attention, we began investigating and worked to find a solution,” said Michael Jack, the city’s COO.
“In addition to the changes being made to the parking ticket process, vehicles that have been impounded due to unpaid parking tickets are being released to their owners, and collection will no longer be pursued on outstanding parking tickets that were issued more than six years ago.”
The city will now change the parking ticket process to update wording on tickets, and alter how the Winnipeg Parking Authority files paperwork with the provincial court.
“Our parking by-laws have always been and continue to be valid, and anyone who violated those by-laws parked illegally,” Jack added.
Under the new process, motorists will still be able to have the WPA review their tickets for errors and will still be able to go to court to contest their tickets.
Tickets issued within the past six years are still owed to the city, with the exception of winter parking ban tickets issued before December 11, 2015 and any fines associated with a vehicle that was liened.
