On May 9 council agenda there is a report recommending a new process for administering parking tickets.  I think we should be implementing this as soon as possible as there are numerous benefits. There is every reason to expect the process the new process will be effective as the working group, who have been focusing on developing the program, have the benefit of learnings from numerous municipalities who have already made the switch to an Administrative Monetary Penalties System (AMPS). As reviewed in the report the plan is to consider and possibly incorporate comments from the May 9th meeting; and then, after further legal review it will be presented for approval and enactment at the next Council meeting on May 30. As always Council welcomes hearing from residents; comments can be sent by email to clerks@king.ca or a request to make a deputation can be registered by noon on Monday May 9th.

As reviewed in the report, the AMPS  is more amenable to those who have a  ticket and want to challenge it. Our current penalty structure is not fiscally responsible as the penalties are not covering the administrative costs of issuing and dealing with a ticket; as a result it is taxpayers who are paying for the administration as opposed to the person who has not adhered to the parking rules. I am also pleased to see the new process as it will eliminate parking ticket challenges going to the court system which is very overburdened which mean that often the trivial case of a parking ticket is dropped.

.I think my only question to staff will be about the proposed penalties; very specifically the penalty for parking in a fire route. I can’t imagine why our penalty should be so much less than that charged by Newmarket and Aurora.  I am also interested to know what other bylaw infractions could have its penalties managed by the AMPS.