Your Days Of Free Street Parking In Toronto Are Officially Over This Week

Drivers, it's time to pull out your wallets. Police announced on Tuesday that Toronto paid street parking is back. Starting July 2, the City will resume ticketing those that are parked illegally on streets.

In a news release, Toronto Police confirmed that they will begin a "phased-in approach" to re-introducing parking enforcement.

"Starting July 2, 2020, the Parking Enforcement Unit will be returning to regular enforcement of on-street parking regulations with a phased-in approach over the next several weeks," it states. 

This implementation will begin on regulating paid on-street parking, as well as change-over parking, where the vehicle is required to switch from one side of the street to the other.

Back in March, on-street time limits were nullified by police due to the effects of the global pandemic.

Non-essential services across the city were shut down, and parking enforcement was one of them.

Now, as Toronto is into stage two of reopening, the city's drivers can expect to start dishing out coin for their parked car as crowds and traffic begin to grow again.

"Read and obey signs to avoid getting a ticket," TPS Parking tweeted. 

Brad Ross, chief communications officer for the City has also announced that the "parking permit office will be opening soon."

He also noted that for the time being, expired permits will not be fined until later on into the summer. 

For the time being, drivers have been instructed to use their existing permits.

However, it looks like the Toronto police won't be starting off the month with a blitz. 

Instead, they have said that they will only hand out fines when necessary. 

"Enforcement will only take place when necessary to ensure the safe flow of traffic," it says.

According to the City website, other services that were previously cut at the start of the lockdown were rush-hour route enforcement, expired vehicle validation license plates, and stopping and standing in a school zone.