October 19, 2015

 

The City of Toronto is moving toward a new process to resolve parking ticket disputes that will remove the parking bylaw dispute process from the provincial court system. 

 

Members of the public are invited to complete an online survey about the customer service features they would like to see in the new Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS).The AMPS survey is available online until October 30 at http://bit.ly/1KjRfUV.

 

The new process using an administrative structure will make it easier for drivers to resolve parking related disputes, providing a convenient alternative to the formal court process. 

 

"Administrative penalty systems exist in many areas and are designed to include a fair, accessible and impartial review process," said Councillor Paul Ainslie (Ward 43 Scarborough East), Chair of the Government Management Committee. "This streamlined system will eliminate the inconvenience and expense of attending court to dispute a parking ticket. Court resources should be used for more significant matters."

 

Under the new system, screening officers with legal training will provide an objective dispute resolution through a screening review process. If a person is dissatisfied with the screening officer's decision, he or she can request a second review by an independent hearing officer. Both officers have the authority to uphold, reduce or cancel a parking penalty. The decision made by a hearing officer is final.

 

In the Greater Toronto Area, Brampton, Mississauga, Oshawa and Vaughan are using an AMPS system for parking violation disputes. In 2012, Toronto Ombudsman Fiona Crean recommended Toronto's adoption of a similar system. In July 2015, the province provided the regulatory authority for this system under the City of Toronto Act.

 

This news release is also available on the City's website: http://bit.ly/1hOa1gu

 

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

 

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Media contact: John Gosgnach, Strategic Communications, 416-392-8386, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.