TRURO, N.S. – You could be ticketed, and possibly towed, if you park on the streets at night between Dec. 15 and April 1.
Winter parking bans prohibit parking on roadways from 1 to 7 a.m. in Truro and 1 to 6 a.m. in Colchester County so that vehicles don’t interfere with snow removal.
Because stormy weather can arrive unexpectedly it’s important to keep the streets clear every night. Fines can be laid, even if there is no snow at the time, but towing is usually only done when necessary. Vehicles can also be towed during the day if they’re left where they interfere with snow removal.
A list of areas of the county where the ban is in effect can be found at http://novascotia.ca/tran/winter/winter-parking-ban.asp .
The cost of parking on the street
Town of Truro tickets are $15. If not paid within 60 days the cost increases to $35. The cost will increase and a person’s driver’s licence will not be renewed if it remains unpaid.
There were 395 tickets issued under the winter parking ban last winter.
In the county a vehicle can be ticketed and/or towed under Section 139 of the Motor Vehicle Act. A ticket for a first offence is $50, a second offence is $100 and each subsequent offence will result in a $200 fine.
RCMP or Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal sometimes have vehicles interfering with snow removal towed without fines. The impound fee is $30 if a vehicle is removed right away, but increases over time.
