Ten Toronto addresses generated more than 30,000 parking tickets in 2024
An analysis of Toronto's open-data ticket logs shows 10 addresses produced over 30,000 parking tickets in 2024. Pricing, turnover and design help explain the concentration.
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By Torontoer Staff
An analysis of the City of Toronto’s open-data ticket logs found 10 addresses produced more than 30,000 parking tickets in 2024. Those locations account for a substantial share of the city’s overall parking enforcement activity.
Urban planners and parking analysts point to three recurring causes: price, turnover and design. When curb parking is underpriced, demand outstrips supply and drivers park illegally. Poor layout, unclear enforcement and strong local draws make some spots repeat offenders.
Top 10 ticket hot spots
- Bluffer’s Park and Beach, 1 Brimley Rd South: 5,318 tickets. High summer demand overwhelms weekend capacity at this popular waterfront park.
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave: 4,526 tickets. Restricted zones around drop-off, pickup and delivery areas generate many short-term violations.
- 31A Parliament St: 3,977 tickets. The Distillery District sees heavy tourist and weekend traffic with limited nearby parking during peak periods.
- Carpark 813, 18 Hendon Ave: 3,864 tickets. Used informally as a park-and-ride for Finch Station, this lot reflects gaps between transit access and first/last-kilometre connections.
- University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail: 2,938 tickets. Most violations are unpaid or inadequate pay-and-display transactions and parking outside designated zones.
- Lot 2, 15 Ontario Drive: 2,671 tickets. Concerts and summer events at Budweiser Stage and Ontario Place create heavy, episodic demand.
- 160 Marine Parade Drive: 2,626 tickets. Humber Bay Shores waterfront pressure pushes drivers into restricted spaces.
- 15 Marine Parade Drive: 2,612 tickets. Weekend crowds and limited curb supply make illegal parking more common in this Etobicoke neighbourhood.
- Infinity 3 Condominium, 19 Grand Trunk Crescent: 2,267 tickets. High-rise visitor traffic and proximity to Humber Bay Park increase competition for curb space.
- Ethennonnhawahstihnen Community Centre/Bessarion Subway Station, 100 Ethennonnhawahstihnen Lane: 2,246 tickets. The North York location shows parking pressure extends beyond downtown transit hubs.
Why these locations top the list
The list mixes hospitals, waterfronts, transit-adjacent lots, a university campus and event parking. Each type shares a different trigger for violations: concentrated arrivals for events, drivers skipping pay stations, and people using lots as informal park-and-ride facilities.
When parking is priced too low, demand soars but supply does not. That mismatch pushes drivers into illegal spots rather than changing travel behaviour.
an urban planner who reviewed the data
Enforcement can be a blunt tool. Tickets deter some misuse, but analysts say enforcement alone does not address the underlying signals that cause drivers to park where they should not.
Parking should be priced to encourage turnover, rather than solely relying on ticketing.
a parking analyst cited in media coverage
Policy options and small changes
- Manage demand with realistic pricing, especially in high‑use waterfront and event zones.
- Designate and enforce short-term loading, pickup and drop-off spaces at hospitals and transit hubs.
- Improve signage and payment technology to reduce accidental violations in pay-and-display lots.
- Expand weekend transit options and first/last-kilometre connections to reduce park-and-ride pressure on nearby lots.
- Use event pricing and reservations for high-demand venues to limit spillover into residential streets.
Some changes require investment and political will. Others, like clearer signage and adjusted rates during peak times, can be tested quickly and scaled if effective.
What drivers should keep in mind
If you plan to visit any of these locations, expect limited legal curb space during peak periods and consider public transit, paid lots or arriving earlier. Local policy shifts may ease pressure over time, but for now many of these addresses remain consistent ticket hotspots.
The concentration of tickets highlights a familiar urban planning challenge: aligning pricing, supply and design so that drivers can find legal, convenient spots without relying primarily on enforcement to correct behaviour.
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