Calgary resident fights street-sweeping ticket, calls system 'cash grab'
A Bridlewood resident says he followed parking rules but still got fined $80 for returning to his street after the sweeper passed. City says the eight-hour ban exists because crews often return.
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Brad McDougall did what he thought was right: he moved his truck off the street on sweeping day, waited for the mechanical sweeper to pass by, then returned to park on his Bridlewood block. For that, he got an $80 ticket.
This year alone, the City of Calgary has issued nearly 39,000 street-sweeping tickets — up from over 34,000 last year. McDougall says he understood the requirement to move vehicles until 4 p.m. But with his wife's car in the garage, his workshop taking up half the remaining space, and his daughter's car parked on the front lawn that day (alongside bins from blue and green bin pickup), options were tight.
When the sweepers finished and left, he moved his truck back. That's when the ticket arrived.
Parking bans run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the city warns drivers not to return even if sweeping appears complete. McDougall argues the expectation is unrealistic — most residents have no eight-hour parking alternative.
"You have nowhere that you can take your car to park it for eight hours," he said. "Am I going to go to the local supermarket to park it there? They aren't going to like that."
Ward Councillor Dan McLean acknowledged the frustration. "I get it, I'd be very upset as well," he said, adding he will look into whether the city can adjust pickup schedules or lower fines. The city says sweepers often return more than once, which is why the full eight-hour window is necessary. McDougall is now collecting signatures from neighbours who were also ticketed and says he won't stop pushing until the bylaw changes.