Is There A Way To Find Out Who Complained About Your Parking

I live in Scarberia and we have nothing but space around. One night we had guests over so I parked on the street in front of my house and got a ticket at 4am for parking in excess of 3 hours. There's no signage and Scarborough doesn't have parking permits so I don't even know how they can enforce this bullshit to begin with. Anyway, my understanding is that in cases like ths parking enforcement will only come by if someone complains about the car on the street. A few of my neighbors are jerks so it's likely it was one of them. Is there a way to find out who? Through disclosure maybe? Don't we have the right to challenge our accuser?

I also believe there may be an issue of bias involved because I found it extremely odd that the parking officer actually showed up for this case - I was the only one he showed up for. And this was 18 months from the initial charge to my first trial date - which was today. So this guy goes out of his way to show up for a single $15 ticket? Is there a review panel or something for these guys because he struck me as if he was doing this a personal favour to a friend or relative which is probably the jerk neighbor who called it in.

Halsy wrote:I parked on the street in front of my house and got a ticket at 4am for parking in excess of 3 hours. There's no signage and Scarborough doesn't have parking permits so I don't even know how they can enforce this bullshit to begin with.

Parking more than 3 hours on a street requires no signage. It applies to all street parking.

Halsy wrote:

Anyway, my understanding is that in cases like ths parking enforcement will only come by if someone complains about the car on the street.

You are incorrect. Parking enforcement will drive by a street on whatever they decide their route is going to be and will chalk your tires. They will return in 3+ hours and ticket anyone who hasn't moved. Nobody needs to call.

Halsy wrote:

I also believe there may be an issue of bias involved because I found it extremely odd that the parking officer actually showed up for this case - I was the only one he showed up for. And this was 18 months from the initial charge to my first trial date - which was today. So this guy goes out of his way to show up for a single $15 ticket? Is there a review panel or something for these guys because he struck me as if he was doing this a personal favour to a friend or relative which is probably the jerk neighbor who called it in.

It's part of his job to go to court. He gets paid for it. You are being overly paranoid.

And regarding getting your neighbours name, I think it would be a bad idea.... confronting them (retaliation on them) is just going to get you in more trouble than its worth. And even if someone did call, the officer is still going to chalk your tires because then he doesn't need a witness for the trial, he can be the only witness required.

I'm pretty sure there is something to protect the caller here, if people called to rat out parking infractions and then the cops give up the name after then you can imagine what happens. this is just like reporting any other crime, it is held in confidentiality , the angry guy who just go the ticket would show up at your door and cause fights.

Also the 3 hour rule can ne done by the officer at his discretion or from a phone call report. Usually on a quiet street it is done by calls from neighbors but if the cops knows its a hot spot near a hospital or something they will often troll by and mark the tires and come back 3 hours later.

Halsy wrote:Is there a way to find out who? Through disclosure maybe? Don't we have the right to challenge our accuser?

We don't have a strict right to face our accuser like the do in the US based on the confrontation clause of the 6th amendment. What we have is a right, through disclosure which is mandated by s. 7 of the Charter, to see all the evidence the the crown has against us in order to make full answer and defence to the charge. Where the initial complainant has evidence to give, that will include information from them (i.e. a statement) and usually information about them (i.e. name at the very least and possibly other details like address). But in a situation like this the initial complainant has no evidence to give - it is the officer who has the evidence of the offence. So you're not strictly entitled to any information about the initial complainant, at least not as part of disclosure. You may be able to make a Freedom of Information request for information that goes beyond disclosure, like a call history or dispatch tapes, but as others have said, to what end?