Saskatoon city council looking for ways to collect $8M in outstanding parking tickets
City hall is out $8 million in unpaid parking tickets, and one city councillor is asking whether the city could turn to other methods to collect the outstanding fines.
“It’s been gradually growing and this is the highest it’s been and the problem we face as a city is to go and recoup on these parking tickets. We have to send solicitors and take people to court,” said Ward 5 city councillor Randy Donauer. “The cost for us to recoup these in court outweighs the (amount) that’s owed to us.”
Earlier this year, Donauer put forward a motion asking the city’s administration to come up with options on how city hall could collect these outstanding parking tickets. Donauer said it will likely involve the provincial government legislating more power to the municipality.
One idea, Donauer said, is to not allow those with outstanding parking fines to renew their driver’s licenses or license plates with Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI).
“It might not be popular, but what is popular is keeping property taxes low and what’s happening now is in order to pay for the services like parking and parking enforcement, we’re having to use tax dollars where our whole system is set up so when we give you a ticket and you pay, that pays for some of the infrastructure parking that we have,” he said.
In a statement to CTV News, the City of Saskatoon’s solicitor’s office said if a parking ticket is unpaid, the city can pursue a court-ordered fine. The city’s solicitor said the city collects unpaid and overdue fines by vehicle booting and/or impounding.
“If a vehicle is impounded, it will be held for at least 30 days to allow the owner to pay the impound fees and the outstanding overdue parking fines. If the vehicle is not redeemed via such payment, it will be sold at auction and the proceeds used to pay off the impound fees and fines,” the city said in an email. “Any excess funds resulting from the sale are returned to the vehicle owner.”
In response to Donauer’s request, the city said a report is forthcoming.
Donauer said $8 million could go a long way when it comes to the various city projects awaiting funding. He hopes the province allows the city to do more to collect those outstanding parking tickets.
“We’re asking our solicitor ‘are there any levers we could ask the province to pull to help us get that money so the violators pay?’”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.