Accessibility

As with most municipalities, in Vernon you are required to pay the meter rate even if a valid placard for people with disabilities is displayed.  The disability placard does not exempt the user from obeying other parking laws or from payment of appropriate parking fees, but rather verifies the ability to park in these reserved spaces.   As each municipality is responsible for their own bylaws and enforcement, parking privileges may vary from community to community.  Private parking lots and mall parking are enforced by the business or mall management.  As there is no overlying Provincial legislation regarding accessible parking provisions, each City is tasked with determining what regulations may be best for their community, and as each Traffic or Parking bylaw may be different, so are regulations for accessible parking.

In Vernon, spaces are provided, are reserved for use, but do require payment of a parking meter or permit dispenser to park.

The City of Vernon now offers a Special Parking Permit for drivers with a valid accessible parking placard issued by Independent Living Vernon and a valid driver's license. The Special Parking Permit will allow drivers to park in regular metered stalls in the City of Vernon without having to put coins in the meter. The cost for this permit is $48.00 per year and can be purchased at City Hall.

This permit will not suit all disabled drivers as wheelchair / mobility aid users will still need to use the dedicated on-street Handicapped Stalls with the lowered meters and sidewalk ramp. But drivers with other disabilities might prefer to park in regular metered stalls, closer to their destination, without putting coins in that meter. It also permits the driver to park for up to three hours in a two hour on-street stall.

The Protective Service Division’s Assistant Bylaw Compliance Officers are tasked with ensuring that accessible parking spaces are not abused and are available for use and take this job very seriously.   Each year Officers write approximately 50 tickets for misuse of the spaces.  In addition, the RCMP may ticket for an offence under the Motor Vehicle Act.

From the SPARC website:

So many people wonder - how can we stop the abuse of accessible parking spaces? Sadly, many offenders are legitimate permit holders who misuse their permit. Please know the rules and play by them!
A person commits an offense under Division 38 of the Motor Vehicles Act pertaining to Disabled Persons' Parking Permits if he or she:

• Makes a false statement on an application
• Mutilates, defaces, or alters a permit
• Lends or transfers a permit to another person, whether or not that person is disabled
• Continues to use their permit past the expiry date
• Stops, leaves standing, or parks in a designated accessible parking zone but is not transporting a person with a disability, yet displays a valid parking permit
• Stops, leaves standing, or parks in a designated accessible parking zone a vehicle that does not display a valid parking permit, or a permit of similar nature issued by another jurisdiction

Should you see a vehicle parked in an on street space or a space in a City owned parking lot that is not displaying a proper permit, or is not in use by a person with a disability, please call the Bylaw Division at 250-550-3505 to report the occurrence. A Bylaw Compliance Officer will be dispatched to investigate and ticket if necessary.