Of the total, $1.8 million is from 2022 alone, when Hamilton’s parking enforcement officers issued 125,801 tickets. The most ticketed area of the city is the Westdale neighbourhood, which is home to McMaster University and McMaster Hospital.
Recently released City of Hamilton statistics show that the municipality is owed over $5.8 million in unpaid parking tickets since 2018.
That number includes $1.8 million in unpaid 2022 tickets. Both of those numbers include late fees owed to the city.
Despite the large amount owed, the majority of 2022 tickets have been paid, with the city bringing in approximately $5.3 million.
Since 2018, that number rises to over $26 million brought in by the city in parking ticket fines.
The city has also brought in over $34.5 million from meters and city-owned lots since 2018.
In terms of tickets issued per year, Hamilton’s parking enforcement officers issued 125,801 tickets in 2022.
That number is up significantly from the 99,370 handed out in 2021 and 96,462 handed out in 2020.
The dip in 2020 and 2021 is due to the fact that parking enforcement officers were not out enforcing rules as much during the height of COVID-19, mainly focusing on the city’s pandemic operations.
Tickets Issued Per Year
2019 – 142,398
2020 – 96,462
2021 – 99,370
2022 – 125,801
The city says that the most ticketed area is Hamilton’s Westdale neighbourhood, which is home to McMaster University and McMaster Hospital.
In terms of streets, Charlton Avenue East is among the most ticketed. Notably, St. Joseph’s Hospital is located on Charlton.
Some of the top reasons tickets are issued are unauthorized parking on private property, parking at an expired meter, and parking exceeding posted parking time limits.
The city also towed a number of vehicles last year, with 762 vehicles towed which is up from 608 in 2021.
Vehicles Towed Per Year
2020 – 677
2021 – 608
2022 – 762
Parking tickets range in cost from $25 to $350. The highest fine is for parking in a spot for the disabled without the proper permit.
Various fees also increase costs significant for those that put off paying their tickets.
A $25 fee is added to a ticket for those who fail to pay or dispute their ticket within the 15-day time limit, a $40 late payment fee is applied for those who fail to pay or dispute their ticket within 45 days, $125 is added for those who set a hearing date and fail to attend, and $10 is applied to parking penalties that have been convicted and not paid within 75 days of issuance of the ticket.
If it has been more than 75 days, the city says that outstanding parking tickets are then sent to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO).
MTO may add additional fees and the offending vehicle’s license plates will be blocked from being renewed until all outstanding fines have been paid.
NOTE: The data contained in this story was first reported on by CBC Hamilton and was later used by The Hamilton Independent and other local outlets.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
