Kitchener’s new overnight parking exemptions begin December 1

Kitchener residents hoping for some overnight parking relief will soon have their prayers answered. Starting December 1, residents can register for overnight parking exemptions on city streets.

Under the current bylaw, there is no overnight parking allowed on Kitchener streets from December 1 to March 31. This new overnight parking registration will allow for five exemptions per year per license plate.

Residents can register their vehicle by for an overnight parking exemption through an online portal launching November 30 on the City of Kitchener website. They can also call city’s contact centre at 519-741-2345 and speak with a live agent 24/7 to request an overnight parking exemption.

Management of Enforcement Ian Misheal explained that Kitchener city council had the means and budget to put this initiative into place for the winter months. “In previous years, we never had the technology available for us to implement such an exemption process,” Misheal said. “It would’ve been very costly to organize how we’d maintain which vehicles were exempt and not.”

These exceptions will accommodate residents who wish to have overnight guests or don’t have the driveway space to accommodate extra vehicles. Residents can pre-register for overnight parking up to five days in advance and up to 2:00 am that morning.

Last year, the city of Kitchener eased its overnight parking restrictions during the holiday season. Misheal said the city will allow overnight parking on Kitchener streets during the holidays once again this year, from December 23 to January 2.

“For the holiday season, we won’t have active enforcement out and about,” Misheal said. “We know there will be an influx of visitors to the city, so we won’t be enforcing the overnight bylaw during that period.”

The City of Waterloo has a similar overnight registration program, but it permits residents 15 overnight parking exemptions per year. Waterloo does not allow for overnight parking year-round unless they get an exemption. Meanwhile, the city of Cambridge does not allow overnight parking from January 1 to March 15. However, overnight exemptions are permitted in Cambridge through December 31.

As always, these exemptions are void in the case of a snow event in Kitchener, Waterloo or Cambridge. There is no parking allowed on city streets during a snow event, and vehicles are subject to a $80 fine and could be towed under the tag-and-tow bylaw.