UPDATE #2

Thank you everyone for signing the petition. It has received a lot of attention online, in the media and from the City as well. A few things to go through: #1) Some people are using this petition to argue about City Parking Bylaws. I need to stress that this petition isn't about the Bylaws. It is about the aggressive ticketing happening in the Downtown Core. Many people are getting tickets that shouldn't be and the Customer Service has been less than ideal. #2) This is not personal against the Enforcement Officers. In fact, I have had many pleasant interactions with some of them. This petition has opened some dialogue as well. I had a great chat with one officer the other day and was told they have let a few of the aggressive guys go (before the petition) #3) Nobody likes tickets. I don't envy the position the Enforcement Officers have -- following the bylaws are the rules. It's the other tickets and unfair tickets that are my issue. Maria Visocchi, the Director of Communication for the City of Brantford left the following message on my Facebook post that I wanted to share: "Hi Jamie. Hope all is well. Weighing in here with my "Director of Communications for the City" hat on. Wanted to let you know that City staff are aware of the petition that is circulating with respect to by-law enforcement and have been reviewing the comments. As an organization that encourages and promotes an engaged and informed community, of course we fully support the public’s right to voice their opinions and concerns regarding City programs and services. This feedback helps us improve services. We understand that no one likes to get a parking ticket and would certainly prefer not to have to issue infractions. Parking by-laws are in place to protect spaces and capacity for those who are complying with parking by-laws by purchasing parking permits, parking in the proper spaces and respecting time limits and spaces that are dedicated to persons with disabilities. Non compliance can result in blocking emergency access, and preventing access to effective service delivery for all. We also recognize that by-laws can be confusing, especially when they vary by City, so we encourage people to visit the City’s website at to learn more about Brantford’s regulations and why it’s important to enforce them. http://www.brantford.ca/.../Pages/ParkingRegulations.aspx City staff are also actively working with the City’s Parking Enforcement contractor to look at how we can make things better based on feedback received. Additionally, the City has set up a dedicated email address at “parking@brantford.ca” for members of the public who wish to provide details of their experience, including date, time and description of the incident to the City so that we can respond. The City is committed to ensuring interactions with the public are positive, and look forward to the opportunity to address any concerns accordingly." The petition was covered in the Expositor, here's the link: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2018/04/20/parking-petition-gains-names Lastly, I recommend you include your City Councillor with any issues you have with downtown. Pictures, Record of Time & Date with a Full Explanation will help them in addressing the issues. Here's hoping for positive changes. I didn't intend to become the martyr for Downtown Parking - I really just want to see our Downtown bloom and our businesses succeed! Thanks, Jamie Stephens