City council is discussing how to get Edmontonians to better comply with parking bans for snow clearing.
It comes as a new report from city staff shows that only 10 per cent of residents complied with the Phase 2 parking ban that went into effect last week.
The ban was necessary after weeks of back-to-back heavy snowfalls that dumped upwards of 70 centimetres of snow on Edmonton, followed by a warm-up that left streets a slushy, rutted mess.
At City Hall on Monday, councillors debated how to get more Edmontonians to get their vehicles off the street.
“When we have to pay to do the same road twice, that’s inefficient, that’s unacceptable,” said Michael Janz, Ward papastew councillor. “It’s penalizing neighbours. Good actors are moving their vehicles, other folks are not.”
The fine for ignoring the parking ban currently sits at $250 — a high price set in 2022 to help cover the cost of towing those who didn’t move and try to change behaviour.
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But, enforcement funding was then reduced starting in 2023.
That meant fewer officers — down from 15 to five — and towing services were also limited. It was discussed, but in the end the fine was not changed Monday.
“If we keep switching things up, if our administration doesn’t know how many officers to plan for each year, it makes their work a little bit difficult, too,” said Jo-Anne Wright, Ward Sspomitapi councillor.
“I think Edmontonians also need to know that we’re gonna have a consistent level of enforcement.”
The union representing city workers says it’s running into some difficulties while trying to fully clear the roads.
“They want to do a good job. When there are parked cars on the street, it prevents them from doing the best job they possibly can do,” said Eric Lewis, CUPE 30 president.
“It’s frustrating for them.”
Lewis says some areas were not cleared at all because the city staff trying to do their work were threatened and harassed by residents.
“We’ve heard reports of people throwing shovels at the units, one person had a baseball bat pulled out on them.
“There has been death threats, verbal assaults … on these people who are just trying to do their jobs.”
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