Parking tickets handed out in Penticton could soon see a price hike.
City staff are proposing to raise the price of most tickets by $5.
There are currently two types of parking tickets issued in Penticton.
Type ‘A’ tickets are given to drivers who either fail to pay to park in a metered spot or stay longer than the time they paid for. The cost of a type A ticket $20 if paid early, $40 if paid on time, and $45 if paid late. Staff is recommending all of these fines be raised by $5.
Type ‘B’ tickets are reserved for drivers who park in residential areas without a permit, in yellow curb zones, and other no parking zones. The cost of a type B ticket $40 if paid early or $55 otherwise. Staff is recommending that council raise the early payment fine to $45, the on-time fine to $60 as well as the introduction of a $65 penalty for type B infractions that are paid late.
In 2019, the city collected approximately $116,000 in revenue from 7,345 parking tickets issued. Approximately 66 per cent of the tickets were type A while 34 per cent fell under the type B category, according to city staff’s report.
Staff estimates that the proposed ticket cost hike would generate an additional $28,000 in annual revenue.
By comparison, a parking ticket in Kelowna costs approximately $30, said the report from Penticton city staff. While a parking meter ticket in Vancouver will cost you $46 if paid within two weeks, $77 if paid within a month and $105 after that, according to the City of Vancouver.
The proposed change to the bylaw is expected to go before council on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
If passed, it would take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.
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