Following city council’s meeting on Monday, unanimous approval was given that “administration be directed to do all things necessary” regarding the implementation of the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS).
The system will allow residents to request a hearing through the city if they wish to dispute a parking ticket instead of going to justice of the peace court.
Initially presented at a city meeting in September 2019, AMPS is expected to be introduced by late this year. It’s intended to benefit the city by reducing the time municipal enforcement officers spend serving summons and appearing in court, focusing efforts elsewhere.
“I’m actually pretty excited about this one,” Coun. Niels Konge said. “Almost 10 years in, I can recall previous directors and managers chatting with me over the years about how our (existing) system is nothing but a massive manpower drain… It just takes hours, and hours, and hours, to try to take people to court for a parking ticket or a speeding ticket or anything. It was so archaic. I’m really happy to see it coming forward.”
The city issued 5,859 parking tickets in 2021, according to Kerry Thistle, director of economic development and strategy for the municipality.
The City of Yellowknife seldom winds up in court over such disputes, however — about one trial every six months, on average, Thistle estimated.