Windsor hikes fines for various parking offences

Scofflaws, beware: It is now more expensive in Windsor to ignore the no-stopping and no-parking rules for school zones and fire routes.

As of Tuesday, fines for certain parking infractions have become significantly heavier within city limits — the result of council decisions during the 2023 municipal budget process.

The biggest increases (by percentage) are for fines involving stopping or parking in a school bus zone, or parking within three metres (about 10 feet) of a fire hydrant.

The penalties in such cases have risen from $45 to $80.

Stopping or parking in a fire route has also become more costly: From $108 to $150.

The fine for stopping or parking in any no-stopping zone has increased from $50 to $80.

The City of Windsor describes the harsher schedule of penalties as a “crackdown for safety.”

In a release, Bill Kralovensky, the city's co-ordinator of parking services, said that areas that should be “among the safest and cleanest areas we have” in Windsor have instead seen greater frequency of “public safety issues.”

“Hopefully, raising the fine amount will promote better compliance, thereby protecting the public safety of our residents,” Kralovensky stated.

The City of Windsor's website is explicit about the need for drivers to take greater care in school areas, as the volume of vehicles dropping off and picking up children has continued to rise over the last several years.

According to the city, “potentially unsafe traffic conditions” have developed, resulting in the municipality undertaking various parking initiatives.

Drivers are reminded to recognize and obey the signs commonly posted in school zones.

The no-stopping sign prohibits vehicles from stopping even for a moment, no matter if the purpose is to drop off passengers or goods.

The no-parking sign prohibits parking even when the vehicle is occupied. Vehicles can stop for active loading or unloading in such spots, but drivers are not allowed to wait for passengers or goods.

For more information about parking enforcement in Windsor, visit “Traffic and Parking” under the “For Residents” section of citywindsor.ca.