My dad is from Kitchener Waterloo and its parking laws regarding handicap permits are different from Toronto. He had my mom's permit on displayed (but was not parking in a handicap spot). In Kitchener, that is not considered an offence for misusing a permit but in Toronto, I believe it is (or the parking officer wouldn't have confiscated the permit and fined my dad). My dad got into a verbal argument with the parking officer. He was issued multiple court dates for which he has to go all the way to Toronto to attend. I'm just wondering if that is normal for Toronto. Seems excessive and a waste of time and money for everyone involved. Similar disputes for everyone else unless it's with 'authoritative' personnel are given a simple warning if anything at all. I'm just wondering if my dad got the bad end of the stick here.

Toronto has tons of exemptions for handicap permit holders. They are not limited to your typical blue wheelchair spot.

That includes things like: free metered parking, parking in no parking zones, parking on streets that require permits, spots with time limits, parking on a street for more than 3 hours, etc.

I'm in agreement with @bend. The other exemptions afforded to handicap permit holders in the City of Toronto, appropriately go above and beyond.

Visibly displaying that permit without the presence of the permit holder in order to access these other exemptions is a violation.

Where exactly did your father park the vehicle when he was receiving the ticket?

https://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebas ... ities.html

I don't know all the details but "misusing a permit" says it all.

It's possible the parking official went over board.