1,400 parking tickets sprout up on vehicles during Tulip Festival in Ottawa

Motorists may soon have to pay to park on Preston Street on evenings and on Sundays. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

Parking tickets bloomed on vehicles in Ottawa’s Little Italy and Dows Lake neighbourhoods as visitors tiptoed through the tulips during the Canadian Tulip Festival.

Ottawa Bylaw Services increased patrols in neighbourhoods around Commissioners Park during the 11-day festival to address the increased traffic.

• Bylaw officers issue hundreds of parking tickets on streets around Canadian Tulip Festival

Bylaw Services Director Roger Chapman tells CTV News Ottawa officers issued 1,416 tickets to vehicles parked around the Tulip Festival between May 9 and 19. A total of 1,111 parking tickets were issued around Commissioners Park during the Canadian Tulip Festival in 2024.

‘‘Bylaw and Regulatory Services (BLRS) works closely with local residents and community groups to ensure the safety and mobility of both festival attendees and area residents,” Chapman said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.

“This includes proactively monitoring high-traffic zones, addressing illegally parked vehicles that may obstruct emergency access routes, and maintaining clear passage for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. Strategic enforcement during large-scale events like the Tulip Festival helps reduce congestion, improve traffic flow, and ensure a safe and accessible environment for everyone in the area.”

Officers issued 437 tickets to vehicles illegally parked around the Tulip Festival during the Victoria Day long weekend, while 372 tickets were issued between May 9 and 11 in the Little Italy and Dows Lake area during the opening weekend of the festival.

The City of Ottawa said “Special Event – No Stopping – Tow Away” signs are typically installed during events like the Tulip Festival to protect emergency access around the festival.

“In the case of Tulip Festival, temporary curbside regulation changes are made in the neighbouring community to protect emergency access as a Fire and Life Safety issue,” Krista Tanaka, Ottawa’s director of Traffic Services, said in an email to CTV News Ottawa last week.

According to the City of Ottawa’s website, parking fines include $70 for parking in excess of posted time limits and $130 for “stand in no stopping area – Special Event.”