Residents in this Canadian city can now spend at businesses for parking ticket forgiveness
Could such a similar model be adopted in other Canadian cities to support struggling businesses?
Halifax’s municipal government is now providing residents with a public parking violation ticket the option of making a $35 purchase at a local business to be eligible to waive their fine.
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This program is in effect between June 1 to September 30, 2022. It requires a receipt proving a purchase of at least $35 made within three hours of receiving the parking ticket, and each receipt can only be used once and cannot be used by more than one person. The receipts must be submitted online through the city’s website within five days of violation ticket issuance.
Furthermore, only one violation ticket may be waived per person per week and the waivers will not be applied retroactively.
It is noted that receipts from couriers, food delivery drivers, and other purchases through delivery services do not qualify. Private parking facilities are not included.
“The paid parking ticket forgiveness program is part of ongoing municipal initiatives to foster economic growth and encourage residents and visitors to support local businesses in their pandemic recovery efforts,” states the city’s program description.
Over the last two years, businesses were, of course, initially hit very hard by the pandemic and now they are seeing a second blow from labour shortages and rampant inflation in both the cost of goods and transportation.