Ottawa to extend early payment option for parking fines to 2 weeks

A parking ticket on a vehicle in Ottawa on Monday, Aug. 25. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa drivers will soon have an extra week to pay the early payment fine for a parking ticket.

The finance and corporate services committee approved changes to the Parking Administrative Penalties System Bylaw on Tuesday, including expanding the period for offenders to pay the penalty for parking infractions early.

The City of Ottawa currently offers an early payment option for parking infractions, giving drivers seven days to pay the fine at a cheaper rate, with the penalty updated to the “set fine” amount eight days after the ticket is issued. For example, the fine for parking in excess of the posted time limit is $70, with an early payment option of $50.

Under the changes, the early payment period will be extended from seven days to 15 days after the ticket is issued.

“These changes will provide recipients with additional time to act at the early payment stage, as well as to allow sufficient time for recipients to act after receiving the penalty or the first notice,” staff said.

The city will also extend the timeframe between the first late notice and the second late notice, with the late feed added on day 46 after the ticket is issued instead of the current 31-day limit.

Now that the committee approved the changes, the extended pay period will be implemented within the next six months.

According to the Ottawa Traffic and Parking Bylaw, the early payment option is $20 cheaper than the set fine for parking and traffic fines.

Council approved an Administrative Penalty System for certain parking violations and camera-based infractions in 2024. The city designated screening officers, and appointed adjudicators, to manage the dispute and resolution processes for parking, red light camera and photo radar camera infractions, instead of the disputes being handled by the provincial offences court.

Ottawa began using the Administrative Penalty System for parking penalties last June. Drivers can submit a request for a screening officer to review the parking ticket up to 16 days after the ticket was issued.

Timeline to challenge a red light camera ticket

Drivers also have an extended period to challenge a red light camera ticket, giving residents up to two months to file a challenge over the infraction.

The Cameras Administrative Penalty System will now align with the Parking Bylaw.

Under the current bylaw, drivers can submit a screening request for a red light camera ticket within 30 days, with the timeline to submit a dispute ending on day 46.

“Staff propose extending the period to submit a late screening request by 15 days, to end on day 61 rather than on day 46,” staff said.

“This change will allow the recipient additional time to action their penalty within the late screening stage. The intent is to ensure that recipients are equipped with the utmost clarity and awareness of options available to manage their penalty.”

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