UVic To Reinstate Parking Fines

Effective July 20, the University of Victoria will resume issuing parking violation fines to those who do not purchase parking permits or who display invalid parking permits.

Earlier this year, UVic ceased issuing $25 fines in the wake of a BC Supreme Court ruling against the University of British Columbia that determined UBC did not have the power to issue parking fines under the University Act. Last week an order of the BC Court of Appeal stayed that portion of the judgment banning fines, enabling UBC to resume issuing parking fines until resolution of the university’s appeal of the original judgment.

“While UVic was not a party to the UBC court action, court decisions influence our parking policy,” says UVic Vice-President Finance and Operations Gayle Gorrill. “Given the most recent decision, we will once again issue parking violation fines.”

UVic will continue to immobilize or tow vehicles of operators who do not pay their parking fines. Vehicles in no parking zones will also be towed. For the past several months, UVic has been immobilizing or towing vehicles after issuing warning tickets.

“Given that there is still some uncertainty about the outcome of the appeal process, UVic will hold the money generated from these fines until the issue of the ability of universities to collect parking fines is settled,” says Gorrill.

Parking fees at UVic help cover the cost of maintaining parking facilities and contribute to transportation demand management initiatives such as cycling infrastructure and employee bus pass subsidization. These initiatives have helped reduce the number of single occupancy vehicles coming to campus by 12 per cent since 2006.

UVic’s appeal process for parking penalties remains in effect.
 

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