Changes coming to how parking tickets are challenged in Winnipeg

Drivers who want to challenge a parking ticket in Winnipeg will no longer need to appear before a judge, thanks to changes in provincial legislation that will take effect next year.

Instead of seeing a judge, drivers willsee a City of Winnipeg screening officer who will review the circumstances of their ticket.

If the driver doesn't agree with the screening officer's decision, they can then schedule an appearance before a provincially appointed adjudicator in the Winnipeg Parking Authority's offices.

The City of Winnipeg says the legislative changes will result in unspecifiedupfront costs,as well as ongoing costs of $550,000 a year for the screening officers and provincial adjudicators.

The new processis expected to start inmid-2016. Until then, the current process of challenging a parking ticket before a provincial court judge is still the same, the city says.