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City eyes parking ticket hike

Red Deer will likely follow Calgary and Edmonton and increase parking fines to cover the provincial government’s new licence plate search fee.

Red Deer will likely follow Calgary and Edmonton and increase parking fines to cover the provincial government’s new licence plate search fee.

The city is considering raising parking tickets by $15 but is first waiting to see how other municipalities decide to offset this unexpected charge, said Joyce Boon, co-manager of the Inspections and Licensing Department.

“We would have to recoup the costs of the $15,” she said.

“By recouping the costs, we’d have to charge it to the violator, whoever gets the parking ticket.”

Red Deer currently charges $30 for illegal meter parking.

Service Alberta made the surprise announcement in April that municipalities will now be charged $15 every time they electronically check a licence plate to access the name and address of a driver found parking illegally, speeding or running a red light.

The city only has control over parking violations. The province controls the fine amounts for speeding and red light infractions.

About 24,000 parking tickets are issued every year in Red Deer, which means this search fee can result in a $360,000 annual loss for the city just from Inspections and Licensing.

And that’s only if violators pay their tickets right away.

Boon said multiple searches can be required for parking violations if tickets are not paid on time. This includes a search to send the accused a notification of their late payment and another if the ticket is challenged in court.

Council heard in April that they could lose another $350,000 each year on the RCMP side for photo radar and red light tickets.

Calgary city council approved earlier this month for the Calgary Parking Authority to charge an extra $15 on parking fines.

Edmonton city council is expected to discuss on June 1 a bylaw amendment that proposes boosting parking infractions by $25.

Parking illegally in Calgary will now set drivers back $65 and Edmonton may soon charge $60 if council approves the proposed fee spike next month.

Boon said the city is still examining how Calgary and Edmonton are dealing with the new search fee.

She did not yet have a date for when administration may present Red Deer council with a proposed traffic bylaw amendment to increase the price of parking tickets.

ptrotter@www.reddeeradvocate.com