Surrey plans stricter parking enforcement after 46% of fines go unpaid, aiming to boost compliance and fairness with new off-street parking bylaws.
Surrey’s parking fine shortfall becomes issue
In the city of Surrey, British Columbia, nearly half of parking fines issued in off-street City-owned lots and parkades go unpaid each year. A corporate report from the city’s engineering management reveals that of around 2,500 fines issued annually, approximately 46 % remain unsettled.
New bylaw under review to plug enforcement gap
The report—presented by Scott Neuman, Surrey’s Manager of Engineering—was brought before the city council on November 3, ahead of a proposed bylaw to regulate pay-parking and EV charging in city-owned off-street facilities. The city operates roughly 2,000 pay-parking spaces and 90 public electric-vehicle charging stations.
Why enforcement is failing in off-street facilities
According to the report, while the city already regulates on-street parking, it lacks specific bylaws for off-street facilities and EV-charging lots. Violations in such areas are issued by a third-party operator, and unpaid or disputed fines must be pursued via collections or the provincial court—a process described as “complex, resource-intensive, and often ineffective.”
How the new policy will change permit revocation and fines
Under the proposed regulation, if the bylaw is approved the rules will take effect on January 1, 2027 following a year of transition. The general manager of engineering would be able to revoke a parking permit when a fine remains unpaid for 90 days or more. If a vehicle is impounded and its owner fails to pay associated costs and fees within 30 days, the city may recover its expenses via public auction or by legal proceedings in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Additionally, the new policy states that “where an offence is a continuing offence, each day that the offence is continued shall constitute a separate and distinct offence.”
What city officials hope to achieve
Neuman told council that the newly developed off-street parking regulations policy—backed by the proposed bylaw—is intended to “improve fairness, safety, and consistency in managing EV charging and parking in off-street facilities and will establish clear legal rights and dispute-resolution mechanisms supported by enforceable penalties.”
Where and when will the change take hold
If council approves the bylaw, the new rules will apply to all city-owned off-street parking facilities and EV-charging stations starting January 1, 2027, after a one-year transition phase. The policy change applies within Surrey, B.C., and is designed to align off-street enforcement with the existing on-street framework.
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