Phase 1 parking ban declared in Edmonton after weekend snowfall

A Phase 1 seasonal parking ban will go into effect in Edmonton at 11 p.m. Monday after a weekend snowfall left about five to 10 centimetres of the white stuff on city streets.

This parking ban is for major roads and bus routes and the city said Phase 1 is anticipated to last three to five days, weather permitting.

During a Phase 1 ban, drivers are not allowed to park on arterial or collector roads, or in the city’s 13 business improvement areas until after they have been cleared.

Drivers also cannot park on bus routes or any roads that have “Seasonal No Parking” signs. Drivers are still allowed to park on residential roads that do not have those signs during a Phase 1 ban.

Drivers parked illegally during a seasonal parking ban this winter face steeper fines than in previous years.

In November, city council unanimously voted in favour of increasing the fine for seasonal parking ban infractions from $100 to $250.

The city said it is going to be actively ticketing and towing more this year.

In previous seasons, the city has relied on education rather than enforcement when it comes to seasonal parking bans.

2:01 City of Edmonton promises better snow clearing this winter

The city implemented a two-phase parking ban system two years ago.

Here’s how it works:

• Phase 1: Arterial and collector roads, bus routes (roads marked with seasonal no parking signage) and business improvement areas are cleared. Drivers may continue to park on their residential street that do not have a seasonal parking ban sign on it during Phase 1
• Phase 2 (begins after Phase 1 but only if declared): Residential and industrial roads are cleared. Drivers may park in their driveway, in a parking space on a neighbours’ property with their permission, or on any road cleared during Phase 1 where parking is allowed normally

For each phase, parking will be allowed on roads again once they are cleared. You do not have to wait for the city to end the ban before parking on a cleared road.

Edmontonians can sign up for text or email notifications to be alerted when a parking ban is put in place and when crews will be in their area.

The City of Edmonton is holding a media availability on Monday afternoon with more details on this latest parking ban. This story will be updated afterwards.

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— More to come…

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