The Township of Esquimalt is updating its bylaw process for the first time since 2014. Council adopted changes to Esquimalt’s Bylaw Offence Notice (BON) penalties and related bylaws and policies at the September 14 meeting.
The updates include fee changes for a range of bylaw offences, including parking, building and zoning, illegal dumping, property maintenance and other violations. The changes bring Esquimalt’s penalties closer to the regional average and better align the Township with neighbouring municipalities.
“These updates are about supporting compliance, improving fairness and making the process easier for residents and visitors,” said Mayor Barbara Desjardins. “By bringing penalties in line with other municipalities and improving payment options, we are taking a practical step toward a more modern and effective bylaw system.”
As part of the changes, the Township is adjusting early-payment discounts to encourage timely payment while maintaining penalties that help deter repeat offences. For example, the regular fine for common parking offences will increase from $40 to $75. If paid within 14 days, the fine will be reduced to $50. While this is higher than the current early-payment amount of $30, the reduced rate continues to provide a lower-cost option for prompt payment and helps people avoid additional fees or collection notices.
Bylaw officers will also be scheduled on Saturdays and during large events to support parking compliance, encourage turnover in high-demand areas and help ensure accessible parking spaces remain available for people who need them.
Later this fall, the Township will introduce online payment options, making it easier and more convenient to pay tickets before additional fees or collection notices are issued.
Since 2025, the township has engaged a collections service to help recover outstanding tickets. Together with updated penalties and future online payment options, the latest changes are part of a broader effort to modernize bylaw enforcement, improve payment rates and reduce ticket volumes over time through better compliance.
Esquimalt’s BON penalties have largely not been updated since the system was adopted in 2014. The new penalties are intended to reflect current enforcement needs, regional practices and the township’s ongoing focus on voluntary compliance.
Frequently asked questions
Why is this changing?
The Township of Esquimalt’s Bylaw Offence Notice (BON) penalties have largely not been updated since the system was adopted in 2014. As a result, current penalties no longer reflect enforcement needs, community expectations, accessibility requirements, or regional norms. These changes strike a balance of incentivizing payment while providing the public with more opportunity to pay a reduced fee.
What are the impacts?
The Township’s approach to bylaw enforcement is grounded in achieving voluntary compliance rather than penalization—this has not changed. These updates will support compliance, improve payment rates, and encourage responsible behaviour, rather than rely solely on punitive measures.
What is the impact to the township?
Parking offences account for 95% of BON ticket volume taking up time and staff resources to investigate and issue the tickets. Reducing the number infractions will free up staff time for other work.
Is this meant to generate money for the township?
The purpose of BON penalties is to support compliance by deterring unwanted behaviour, not to generate revenue. Experience from other municipalities indicates that when penalties are updated to modern levels, ticket volumes often decrease because compliance improves, meaning that higher penalties do not necessarily result in higher revenue.
How does this compare to other municipalities?
Currently, Esquimalt’s fees are the lowest compared to nearby municipalities. These changes bring fees in line with other municipalities.
What if I already owe money for a ticket?
Existing tickets will remain at the same rate as written on the ticket. Read more about how to pay your fines.
Can I pay online?
Staff are in the process of implementing an online payment system and is expecting it to be available in the fall.