Parking fines on the rise in Kamloops as reserves run dry

Kamloops city hall has run through its parking reserve funds as bylaw enforcement ran into the red.

City council is moving to increase the cost of parking across the city, along with the related fines, but that comes after two reserve accounts dedicated to parking infrastructure ran dry.

According to 2025 financial statements, the two accounts had nearly $1.3 million combined at the beginning of the year, but by year-end, they were depleted.

At a council meeting this week, Coun. Nancy Bepple said she’s heard complaints from the public that there aren’t enough bylaw officers enforcing parking.

Bylaw enforcement manager Will Beatty responded to say a lack of parking revenue created a feedback loop where the department couldn’t afford to dedicate officers to parking enforcement.

“With the depleting reserves, we’re unable to contribute officers to that. With an increase in fines and rate structure, we will be able to commit more resources to it,” he said.

Beatty said that the department isn’t yet planning to hire more bylaw officers, or community service officers as they are called, unless they find they can’t keep up with the demands of parking enforcement across the city.

He also said that despite running through reserves, the department saw an increase in parking revenue in 2025 over the previous year.

The city’s public financial statements don’t specify how much revenue comes from parking each year, but the department expected to earn $1.625 million in 2026 compared to roughly $2 million in expenses.

If adopted by June 1, the department is projected to make up nearly the entire shortfall with a $416,000 increase in parking revenue, according to a staff report.

Although the rates and fines are going to increase, the city still has no method to collect unpaid fines other than through court. Beatty previously told council the increase may make the pursuit of bylaw tickets through court worth the effort.