“Toronto To Allow E-mail Resolution Of Some Parking Tickets”

Toronto is now allowing you to dispute certain parking violations via e-mail. Meter violations that are given in error due to a broken meter or your permit not being visible, can be resolved online. You fill out on online form and the City conducts some kind of investigation. I do give credit to Toronto for this, since it's usually easier to just pay a bogus parking ticket then go through the hassle of fighting it. Be interesting to see how well the process works.

Toronto issues about 600,000 tickets for parking meter violations each year and about 40,000 of those tickets arent actual violations. Now those customers will be able to fight those tickets in the comfort of their pajamas from their living rooms, any time of day.

"Frankly, we dont want to issue tickets where the ticket isnt deserved,"

A valid receipt shown alongside the yellow ticket is now proof enough. But photographs of broken meters and any other evidence will be also be considered.

After cursing about the illegitimate ticket, find and secure evidence to support your case. Submit that proof alongside the ticket in an email to parkingmeters@toronto.ca, or if you still use a fax, feed the documents into the machine and dial 416-696-3652. Then, wait for the parking authority to conduct their "investigation." The city will send their decision via email, phone call or snail-mail.

If your proof isnt strong enough, you can fight the ticket at a trial. But youll have to request that trial in person.

Link to the City of Toronto page: http://www.toronto.ca/pay-toronto-tickets/disputes.htm

Link to the Toronto Star article: http://www.wheels.ca/article/asset/795028

Given the fact that it would probably take a clerk in the office about 2-3 minutes to review an e-mail request, versus 10+ minutes of screwing with paperwork and then setting up a trial, it would probably free up a lot of resources. Conversely, some people would be more likely to fight their tickets... on balance I think it's a good thing.

As long as the clerks are actually literate - in computers and language. I've worked with some people who would address only the first issue in an email and ignore the rest. I could see this happening.

Torontonian: "I got a ticket yesterday. I did not have a parking slip on my dash. I did have a disabled parking permit that allows me to park there without a slip. I still got a ticket."

Clerk: "Parking slips must be displayed visibly on your dash."

Torontonian: "Wat? FUUUUUUUUUUUUU--"