Ottawa, Ontario -- Ottawa has accumulated more than $24 million in uncollected parking fees due to lack of enforcement procedures.

Most unpaid parking tickets, $13.5 million, are from Ontario residents; $4.6 million are Quebec residents; and $5.9 million in tickets were issued to other parts of Canada and the U.S.

Ken Hughes, Ottawa's revenue manager, told the Ottawa Sun, "The number of outstanding tickets rises and falls to some degree every year, but like elephants we never forget them."

City laws permit towing vehicles with unpaid parking fees, but all the owner has to do is pay the towing and impounding fee and he can retrieve his vehicle without paying the parking ticket.

If a Canadians applies for a loan, however, the unpaid parking ticket shows up on their record and they must pay the fees due to Ottawa's agreement with collection agencies. However, unless a violator applies for a loan, it is possible to get by without ever paying their parking fee.

In 2006, Ottawa issued 313,000 parking tickets, in 2007 it issued almost 350,000. Aside from the basic parking fee, the average fine is $35 per ticket.

Hughes requested Ontario government assistance in creating laws to compel Canadians to pay overdue city parking fees. City staff members are developing a new city-wide, comprehensive and consolidated parking charges policy. Recommendations are slated to be presented for review to the City Council Transportation Committee.

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