The Township of Esquimalt is looking to modernize their approach to bylaw enforcement – namely regarding parking and fine collection – after the council directed staff to review the current bylaw enforcement model in the municipality.
At a council meeting on May 26, the council passed motions to initiate after-hours bylaw enforcement; and a second motion for staff to continue collecting on outstanding fines, as the township has engaged a collections service to support improved compliance and recovery of outstanding fines.
“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 in a news release. “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.”
In terms of after-hours enforcement, bylaw services will focus on parking infractions and the hours will vary depending on peak times and feedback from the local business community. The township says past parking surveys identified vehicle turnover as a concern for businesses.
"Focus on enforcement of time limits along popular roads will help keep parking spots available for customers," noted the release. "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."
In collecting more fines, staff are working with the collections contractor on outstanding fines dating back to 2019.
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 during office hours. Cheques can also be mailed or deposited in the municipal hall secure mailbox. Payments must be accompanied by the ticket or by a note that includes the ticket number, full name and address, the date of the offence, and the bylaw name and section of the offence.
Those who wish to make a bylaw complaint can do so via the township’s online complaint form. Any after-hours bylaw complaints should be directed to the VicPD non-emergency line at 250-995-7654, or to 911 if there is an emergency.
