Montreal mayor wants review of old bylaw banning residents from parking in their own driveways
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante wants a review of an old bylaw that has prevented some residents in an east-end neighbourhood from parking their cars in their own driveways.
"It is clear that the bylaw needs to be reviewed so that it better reflects today's needs, particularly with regard to electric vehicle owners who must park near their charging stations," said Plante's press attaché, Catherine Cadotte, in a statement to CTV News on Thursday.
On Wednesday, CTV News reported Nicole Gagnon has been parking in her driveway for more than 40 years. When she bought the house, the garage had been turned into a living space.
However, a neighbour complained about a violation of a decades-old bylaw that prohibits parking in front of a living space.
The mayor's office said complaints are dealt with on a case-by-case basis and that inspectors are asked to be "flexible" in applying the bylaw.
"In this particular case, the bylaw was applied following a citizen's complaint concerning work done without a permit," added Cadotte.
Gagnon said she was shocked to learn she was breaking the law.
"When we bought the house in 1981, it was like this," she said in an interview steps from her driveway on Wednesday. "Why is this a problem now?"
In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough said, "The regulation is still relevant today, to protect green spaces, prevent floodings and increase pedestrian security.
We are actively evaluating the possibility to modify the regulation, especially to better include issues related to electric vehicles, without generating new problems."
Monique Voyer is another one of the 11 residents affected by the regulation.
"They say it's a question of safety for pedestrians," she said, "but if we back out of a garage, or a driveway, it doesn't make a difference."
Voyer has lived there for more than 40 years and said she was stunned to receive the letter.
"I understand that there are laws, but it's our house," she said. "We should be able to do what we want."
In the meantime, the residents are being encouraged to park on the street for free or risk getting a fine.
With files from CTV's Amanda Kline
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'