New winter parking by-law provisions approved for Gravenhurst

The fall by-law update left out winter parking provisions

New winter parking by-law provisions were approved for Gravenhurst, in the December 16, 2025, Council meeting.

Council reviewed a proposed amendment to the Town's Parking Control By-law recommending they reinstate overnight winter parking restrictions on municipal streets and in municipal parking lots.

The proposed amendment follows a staff review of Parking Control By-law No. 2025-70, which was adopted by Council on September 16, 2025.

According to the staff report, during that review staff identified that winter overnight parking provisions contained in the former Winter Control By-law were not carried forward into the updated parking by-law. As a result, the by-law does not include clear authority for enforcing overnight winter parking restrictions, which lead staff to recommend an amendment.

It adds that the purpose of the proposed amendment is to update Section 4, General Parking and Stopping Provisions, and Section 5, Municipal Parking Lots, to include enforceable winter overnight parking controls.

Staff reported that these changes are intended to support effective winter operations and ensure consistent enforcement across the Town.

The proposed amendment provisions indicate:

“No person shall park a vehicle on a highway, a boulevard, a sidewalk, or municipal road allowance between the hours of 12:00am and 7:00am from November 1^st to April 31^st.”

It adds, “Unless otherwise permitted, no person shall park a vehicle in any municipal parking lot between the hours of 12:00am and 7:00am from November 1^st to April 31^st.”