Toronto’s commercial and multifamily landlords could be getting some enforcement clout beyond the honour system to discourage misuse of electric vehicle (EV) charging spaces in their parking garages. Later this week, Toronto Council is set to consider a new fine that would be applicable on private property and in off-street municipal parking facilities, as it debates a package of proposed citywide increases to on-street and off-street parking fines.

Currently, there is a fine schedule for on-street parking spots with EV chargers, which can see vehicle owners charged $60 per ticketed incident if they leave a combustion-engine vehicle or an EV that is either not charging or has outstayed the prescribed time limit in the space. However, there is no equivalent penalty for off-street EV charging spaces.

Council’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee has already endorsed a new $75 fine pertaining to off-street EV charging spaces, which a report from City staff suggests will support consistency and “a positive customer experience for EV charging customers”. The $75 rate would be on par with proposed increased fines for various other on-street and off-street parking infractions.

If adopted, the new fine is expected to go into effect August 1, 2024. Toronto’s municipal code will first have to be amended to add in the new private and municipal parking offences.

The staff report notes that operators of private parking facilities participating in the City’s consultation process were generally in favour of the new category of parking offence and associated fine. To make it enforceable on private property, they will need to post appropriate signage, as set out in the municipal code, to clearly state the rules.

Associated research cited in the report shows that relatively few other jurisdictions have similar fines in place yet. Ottawa and Victoria exact lower fines, of $70 and $40 respectively, for non-EV vehicles parked in off-street spaces outfitted for EV charging, while Oakville and Orillia both charge a $125 fine for any vehicle that occupies an off-street EV charging spaces but is not plugged in.