News release
For immediate release
ESQUIMALT, BC—The Township of Esquimalt is updating the approach to bylaw enforcement, specifically with respect to parking and collecting fines.
Earlier this year, council directed staff to review the current bylaw enforcement model in the township. The review and resulting consultant report looked at such areas as staffing levels, how fines are collected, available technology used to process citations and the working hours of enforcement staff.
The staff report including the consultant’s review were part of the May 26 council agenda. At the council meeting, the consultants presented an overview of the current and historical approach to bylaw enforcement in the municipality. The report highlighted recommendations for council’s consideration.
The resulting motions included several actions. One is that staff are to continue collecting on outstanding fines; it’s important to note that the township has engaged a collections service to support improved compliance and recovery of outstanding fines. Staff are working with the collections contractor on outstanding fines dating back to 2019.
“As Esquimalt continues to grow, so do our bylaw enforcement needs. We’ve hit a threshold where the older way of processing tickets isn’t keeping up with the demand,” said Mayor Barbara Desjardins. “Modernizing our approach to not only collections but also how we manage tickets is a key step in this process and we’re looking forward to implementing new tools to do so.”
Council also directed staff to initiate after-hours bylaw enforcement. After-hours enforcement will be focussed on parking infractions and the hours will vary depending on peak times and forthcoming feedback from the business community. Previous parking surveys have identified vehicle turnover as a concern for businesses; a focus on enforcement of time limits along popular roads will help keep parking spots available for customers.
The approach to after-hours enforcement will be flexible as demand varies. This intention is to assess what works well and report back to Council in 2026 on performance of after-hours enforcement.
Residents who wish to make a bylaw complaint can continue to do so via the township’s online complaint form. Any after-hours bylaw complaints should be directed to the VicPD non-emergency line (250-995-7654) as usual, or to 9-1-1 if there is an emergency.
Residents with outstanding parking tickets are encouraged pay their fines at their earliest opportunity. Those with unpaid fines can expect to receive communications from collections in the coming weeks as the tickets are processed. Tickets can be paid in person by cash, cheque, money order, or debit card at Esquimalt Municipal Hall (1229 Esquimalt Road) during office hours. Cheques can also be mailed or deposited in the municipal hall secure mailbox. Payments must be accompanied by the ticket (or a copy of it) or by a note that includes:
- the ticket number
- your full name and address
- the date of the offence
- the bylaw name and section of the offence
More information
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Contact
Tara Zajac
Manager of Communications
Tara.zajac@esquimalt.ca
250-414-7122