Toronto will no longer allow free parking on holidays

Drivers in Toronto aren’t going to be able to park on the street for free during holidays for much longer.

With parking spots being sold for the price of a house in the city, the one respite for Toronto drivers is the assurance that on statutory holidays, they could park on streets for free.

It was the one respite, that is, but that’s all about to change.

The Toronto Police have released a statement that, starting on Family Day (February 19), they will begin enforcing laws for street parking even on statutory holidays.

The decision was made in order to accommodate the “evolving needs of our growing city, where the demand for parking has significantly increased,” according to the Toronto Police Service’s release.

You might also like:
• I took a driverless taxi and here’s why it freaked me out
• Canadian professor flies to work because it's cheaper than living in Vancouver
• Can a rental building raise your parking fee in BC?

While street parking laws have always remained in effect during statutory holidays, it was standard practice for parking officials not to enforce them.

“Historically, it has been a practice not to enforce,” states the release, “but there are no by-laws that explicitly exempt statutory holidays from enforcement and this change aligns with existing bylaws that permit enforcement on those days.”

So, when you head out on Family Day, make sure to bring a couple of extra bucks for parking, or you may end up having to pay a $75 fine for parking violations.