'A total cash grab': Winnipegger questions why vehicle was towed during parking ban despite lack of snow

Man’s car towed despite lack of plows, snow A Winnipegger is questioning the winter route parking ban given the lack of snow. Taylor Brock explains.

A Winnipeg man is questioning why his vehicle was towed during the annual winter route parking ban despite there not being any snow to clear.

Bo Neufeld and his roommate woke up Tuesday morning to find their vehicles, which were parked on a snow route during the ban, had been towed.

“They took it right to the impound lot, so I had to find a ride this morning, hitch a ride down there – 150 bucks later to get it back. I still have a ticket coming in the mail too that I’ll have to pay for,” Neufeld told CTV News Winnipeg in an interview.

The winter route parking ban came into effect on Jan. 16 when crews were clearing a big dump of snow.

Three weeks later, it still hasn't been lifted.

Neufeld doesn’t think the tow was fair considering the lack of snow, adding it feels like a cash grab from the city.

“I could have woken up and had a ticket, a slap on the wrist to let me know, ‘don’t park here, even if there’s no snow.’ That’s one thing. I could kind of get behind that, but to just be taking people’s cars to move them out of the way for the snow plows that aren’t here? It seems a little bit ridiculous to me.”

Meantime, the city says Winnipeggers need to adhere to the ban, regardless of the weather, or risk being ticketed and towed.

It adds crews are out doing ice control activities almost every night, and can work more efficiently if major routes are clear of vehicles.

This often happens on streets that have already been cleared of snow.

- With files from CTV’s Taylor Brock