Halifax lifts overnight parking ban after 9-night streak

Halifax’s overnight parking ban has finally been lifted for most of Halifax.

As of Tuesday, cars can now be parked overnight on streets thanks to crews who have cleared much of the 80 cm of snow that fell in the municipality last week.

Samantha Kwiatkowski, a student at Dalhousie University, has a car but no parking spot and therefore relies on parking on the street.

“I dread the overnight parking ban,” said Kwiatkowski. “Whenever it’s enforced I have to drive to a parking garage and pay to park there overnight.”

She’s been using the Park Lane parkade on Spring Garden Road.

“Thankfully they have an evening maximum of $5, but it’s still annoying,” she said. “It’s a relief it’s finally over.”

Ken Skinner is the parking manager for Crombie Reit, which manages the Park Lane parkade, among others, in Halifax. He said there is a definite surge in people paying for monthly parking during the winter months and there is a rise in overnight parkers when the parking ban is enforced.

Snow clearing still happening

The overnight parking ban is in effect from Dec. 15 to March 31, but is only enforced from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m during storms or snow clearing operations.

Since Dec. 15, the parking ban has been enforced 19 times — already surpassing last winter’s total of 15. During the winter months of 2014-15, a notably harsh winter, the parking ban was enforced 47 times.

Despite the ban being lifted in most areas, crews are still working on clearing some streets and sidewalks where a ban is being enforced. No-parking signs and barricades will be placed on streets where this is being done and drivers can be ticketed $50, or towed.

According to the Halifax snow update, the following streets are scheduled for snow clearing from Tuesday at 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Wednesday:

• Spring Garden Road (block by block temporary closures from Martello Street to Barrington Street)
• Blowers Street
• Grafton Street
• Carmichael Street
• Market Street

Tickets still possible

Regardless of whether a parking ban is enforced or not, vehicles can be ticketed or towed under Section 139 of the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act — if they are parked in a manner that interferes with snow clearing.

For those who are concerned, the Halifax Regional Municipality recommends asking these questions when parking:

• Is the overnight parking ban currently being enforced?
• Is your vehicle causing a safety issue?
• Is it making the road impassable?
• Is it impeding snow operations underway in the area?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, don’t park there.

Snow removal isn’t the only concern for parking on streets that haven’t been cleared. Parking on narrow streets can also impede emergency vehicles from getting through.

Before you park on the side of the street, ask yourself one question: Can a fire truck get through. No? Then don’t park there.

— Halifax Fire (@hfxfire) February 17, 2017