Fines for parking, traffic infractions could go up under Valérie Plante

Mayor Valérie Plante did away with ticket quotas — but now her administration is considering substantially increasing fines for traffic and parking infractions. 

Benoit Dorais, chairman of the city's executive committee, said the administration is studying the issue and that it's too soon to go into specifics.

Ticket prices haven't gone up since 2009, he pointed out during Monday's city council meeting.

"I can understand that people will say, 'I will have to pay more out of my pockets,' but a ticket is for a behaviour we don't want to have. If people don't do it anymore, they won't have anymore infractions," Dorais told reporters after the meeting.

According to its 2018 budget, the City of Montreal expects revenues from fines and penalties to rise to $206.6 million, up $11.4 million from last year, despite the decision to scrap ticket quotas.

The previous administration was looking at raising fees by $10 or more, not counting related legal costs, so that a typical $53-parking ticket would go up to $77, according to documents consulted by Radio-Canada.

Denis Coderre's team was also considering increasing parking rates.