Montreal eases some parking rules after massive snowfall, but thousands still ticketed

Montreal has been showing some tolerance when it comes to issuing parking tickets for certain infractions given the exceptional snow accumulation, but thousands have still been issued.

The city's parking enforcement agency, Agence de mobilité durable de Montréal, told CBC News in a statement that it is showing tolerance for bans on parking reserved for residents (where stickers are usually required) and on-street paid parking spaces.

"These measures are exceptional and are aimed at returning traffic to normal as quickly and safely as possible," the statement says.

"However, the tolerance shown by our officers concerns these two types of offences, not all offences."

Despite the leniency, plenty of tickets are still being issued.

As of 7 a.m. on Monday, 6,659 tickets had been handed out over 10 days to vehicles breaking parking rules, according to the parking agency. Of those, 5,754 tickets — 86.4 per cent — resulted in towing.

When compared to previous years, the number of tickets issued and cars towed remains somewhat consistent, with 32,000 to 46,000 cars towed every season.

Parking at an angle, a common Montreal tactic when the city is blanketed in heavy snow, remains a ticketable offence.

The agency says the municipal bylaw allows angled parking only when specifically indicated by signs.

Cars parked at an angle risk being hit and can obstruct emergency vehicles, the agency says.

Guy Lapointe, division chief with the Montreal fire service, said fire trucks need to be able to pass.

"There could be issues with intersections where it's not possible to turn because it's just too tight given the snow or the way citizens might have parked their cars," he said.

Snowplows also struggle to get through.

Kateryna Charua is among those who woke up Monday to find her diagonally parked car had been struck by a snowplow. The damage is so bad, the car can't be driven.