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Whatever the legalities, this precedent-setting move is plainly wrong and it is in the power of the city to stop such company overreach. The parking metres must come down and if Minto doesn’t remove them, the city should.

This practice may be new to Ottawa but it has been going on for a while in Toronto, where the city council has put in place a policy outlawing it. However, the bylaw in question is now under appeal. Ottawa Council must have the courage to develop a similar policy, and if necessary, defend it on appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board. After all, it is the citizens who are being fleeced.

Tenants in at least five Minto-operated buildings got the surprise of their lives about two months ago when they received notices telling them paid parking will be introduced for visitors. Minto says the fees are being introduced because too many tenants were using the visitors’ spots. Robin Garvey, vice-president of Minto Properties Inc., said paid parking is being introduced “to manage limited availability and high demand.” That sounds like an excuse to make a little more money.

If misuse of visitor parking is an issue, Minto could, and should, have had a discussion with tenants, laid out its concerns and worked out an amicable solution. In other places with visitor parking, owners and tenants alike are often required to phone in and record a parking visitor, complete with licence plates and number of days required. In other words, there are ways to deal with such issues without dipping into people’s pockets, but Minto chose to impose its own solution, making the whole thing seem like a fait accompli.