Yesterday, Mayor Peter Kelly released a statement asking Halifax's parking authority to take it easy on residents violating the winter parking ban over the holidays.  Here is their response.

HRM Release:
A statement from the HRM Traffic Authority

(Wednesday, December 22, 2010) – The HRM Traffic Authority is empowered through the provincial Motor Vehicle Act to make decisions in the interest of safety for the travelling public. To this end, the winter parking ban in the urban and suburban areas of HRM is in place from Dec. 15 until the end of March, prohibiting vehicles from parking on the street from 1 a.m. until 7 a.m.
While this ban may prove inconvenient to some, it is applied for the safety of all. At this time there is no intention to lift or alter the ban which is enforced by police officers and sworn peace officers hired by HRM.

HRM and the Traffic Authority make every effort to ensure the public is aware of the parking ban, and the reasons it is necessary. Drivers should ensure they have a parking plan for the winter months when their cars cannot be left on the street overnight or at any time of the day when there is a winter storm.

In the winter of 2006/07, an effort was made to limit the ban to nights when there was snow. This proved unsuccessful because too many cars were left along the streets, forcing snow ploughs to work around them. This led to a less efficient, less effective snow removal and – ultimately – less safe driving conditions.
For more information on winter operations within the HRM, please visit  www.halifax.ca  and click on the Snow image.

Ken Reashor
HRM Traffic Authority