Winter Parking Restrictions
In order to help keep Ottawa’s roads, sidewalk and pathway networks clear for motorists, public
transit, pedestrians and cyclists, winter overnight parking regulations are in effect between
November 15 and April 1 of each year.
When winter parking restrictions are being enforced, vehicles are not allowed to park on any
City street between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. when a snow accumulation of 7 cm or more is forecast by
Environment Canada. Vehicles that remain parked on the street during an overnight parking
restriction will be ticketed and could be fined up to $60, even if it does not snow. On-street
parking permit holders are exempt from this restriction.
In addition, Public Works crews may remove snow from City streets during the day or night,
even when no snow is forecast. When daytime or nighttime snow removal operations are
planned, temporary “no parking” snow removal signs will be posted before snow removal
begins. Vehicle owners are reminded not to park on streets where temporary “no parking” snow
removal signs are placed. Vehicles parked during planned snow removal will be ticketed with a
$75 fine and towed to a nearby street. This restriction applies to all vehicles, including those
with on-street parking permits.
To inform residents and motorists of the winter overnight regulations, a special advisory is
issued to the local media announcing that an overnight parking restriction is in effect. All special
advisories are posted online in the City’s newsroom. Enforcement of winter overnight parking
restrictions will continue each evening until snow clearing is completed and the City issues a
special advisory indicating that the overnight parking restriction has been lifted.
Residents are encouraged to sign up to receive e-mail or Twitter notifications of overnight
parking restrictions at ottawa.ca/winterparking. After they sign up, they will receive an e-mail or
Twitter alert every time a winter overnight parking restriction goes into effect or is lifted. The
service is free and they can unsubscribe anytime. Residents can also access the winter overnight
parking regulations information by calling 3-1-1.
* Copied with permission from Maria McRae’s December Report to Chara