---
title: "Can You Leave a Car on the Street in Winter? Rules by City"
description: "City rules on leaving a car on the street in winter: overnight bans, snow-clearing bans and time limits in major Canadian cities, with official links."
url: https://car-storage.ca/guides/can-i-leave-my-car-on-the-street-in-winter/
last_updated: 2026-10-24
---

# Can I leave my car on the street in winter?

In most big Canadian cities you cannot leave a car on the street all winter. Overnight bans, snow-clearing bans and time limits get in the way, and a car that does not move can be ticketed or towed.

> Rules change, and this is not legal advice. Check the city page linked next to each rule before you rely on it. We list only what we could confirm on an official page. Not every city is here: a missing city means the rule is not confirmed yet, not that there is no rule.

## Ontario

Cities where we have checked the official page:

- Toronto: On public roads without signs, Toronto has an unsigned three-hour parking limit. (source: https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/applying-for-a-parking-permit/parking-by-laws-regulations/parking-regulations/)
- Toronto: Temporary street permits for 24 hours, 48 hours or 7 days lift the 1, 2 or 3 hour limits, for at most 8 weeks in a row. (source: https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportation/applying-for-a-parking-permit/temporary-on-street-parking/)
- Toronto: A vehicle in a wrecked, dismantled or inoperative condition may not be parked, stored or left in a yard unless lawfully permitted (Municipal Code Chapter 629, §629-10 D). (source: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_629.pdf)
- Mississauga: A winter parking restriction is declared for snow clearing, usually after about 5 cm of snow. Parking permits are suspended and the fine is $150. (source: https://www.mississauga.ca/services-and-programs/transportation-and-streets/parking/season-parking-rules-and-fines/)
- Mississauga: Wrecked, dismantled, inoperative, unused or unlicensed vehicles may not be stored or left on land, except by a business with the proper licence (Property Standards By-law 0654-1998, s.28(1)). (source: https://www.mississauga.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/18083240/Property-Standards-By-law-0654-1998.pdf)
- Brampton: During a declared winter event (snow or freezing rain), parking permits are not valid on the street and vehicles can be ticketed and towed (Traffic By-law 93-93, ss. 40 and 44, as cited by the city). (source: https://www.brampton.ca/EN/residents/Roads-and-Traffic/Maintenance-Programs/Snow-Clearing-Operations/Pages/Winter-Parking-Restrictions.aspx)
- Markham: On-street parking between 2:30 am and 6:00 am is not permitted year-round without a valid exemption. (source: https://www.markham.ca/permits-licences-taxes/parking/winter-and-summer-parking)
- Markham: During winter snow clearing, parking is not allowed on any street, permits are suspended and fines are $150. (source: https://www.markham.ca/permits-licences-taxes/parking/winter-and-summer-parking)
- Oakville: No street parking from 2 am to 6 am, November 15 to April 15, on streets south of Dundas Street, and year-round north of Dundas. Unsigned streets allow 3 hours free. (source: https://www.oakville.ca/transportation-roads/parking/find-parking/on-street-parking/)
- Oakville: Oakville’s property standards by-law lists wrecked, inoperative, unused or unlicensed motor vehicles as “undesirable material” (By-law 2017-007). (source: https://www.oakville.ca/getmedia/854a7348-8146-498a-a95b-bfd23b45ddc9/bylaw-2017-007-property-standards-consolidated.pdf)
- Richmond Hill: From December 1 to March 31, no street parking 1 am to 7 am ($75). From April 1 to November 30, no parking 3 am to 6 am ($50). (source: https://www.richmondhill.ca/en/learn-more/Find-or-Learn-About-Parking.aspx)
- Richmond Hill: No street parking for more than 3 hours between 6 am and 5 pm ($30). During a winter event vehicles can be towed. (source: https://www.richmondhill.ca/en/learn-more/Find-or-Learn-About-Parking.aspx)
- Ottawa: From November 15 to April 1, a winter weather parking ban is declared for freezing rain or a forecast of 7 cm of snow or more. Overnight bans run 7 pm to 7 am. Vehicles without a residential permit can be towed. (source: https://ottawa.ca/en/parking-roads-and-travel/parking/winter-parking/winter-weather-parking-bans)
- Ottawa: No vehicle in a wrecked, discarded, dismantled, inoperative or abandoned condition may be parked, stored or left in a yard (Property Standards By-law 2013-416, s.6(9)). (source: https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/default/files/2013_416_en.pdf)
- London: Winter overnight passes run November 15 to March 31, up to 15 free per plate. They do not apply to commercial, oversized, inoperable or unplated vehicles. No street parking during a snow event. (source: https://london.ca/overnightparking)
- Kitchener-Waterloo: Kitchener: from December 1 to March 31, overnight street parking needs an exemption. Unsigned streets allow at most 3 hours in a row from 6 am to 11 pm. Parking is banned when more than 8 cm of snow is forecast or a snow event is declared. (source: https://www.kitchener.ca/bylaws-and-enforcement/parking-bylaws/)
- Kitchener-Waterloo: Waterloo: overnight street parking is not allowed from 2:30 am to 6 am. A snow event is announced by 5 pm and runs for 24 hours from 11:59 pm; the fine is $80. (source: https://www.waterloo.ca/news/posts/winter-parking-and-snow-clearing-regulations/)

## Quebec

Cities where we have checked the official page:

- Montreal: Snow removal is signed: daytime removal runs 7 am to 7 pm (signs placed by 8 pm the evening before), overnight removal runs 7 pm to 7 am (signs placed by 3 pm that day). Park at least 30 cm from the curb. (source: https://montreal.ca/articles/comment-stationner-votre-vehicule-en-hiver-4145)
- Montreal: The maximum time on a street depends on the borough: some have no limit, others 24 or 72 hours. (source: https://montreal.ca/demarches/connaitre-la-duree-maximale-pour-se-stationner-dans-la-rue)
- Montreal: A car on SAAQ remisage must never be parked on a public road. The plate stays on the car, and a car stored for more than 12 months needs a mechanical inspection. (source: https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/immatriculation/remiser-deremiser-mettre-rancart/remisage)

## British Columbia

Cities where we have checked the official page:

- Vancouver: A vehicle without valid insurance may not be parked on streets or lanes. A vehicle can be treated as abandoned if it has no licence, insurance or plates, or has been parked on a street for more than 14 days (Street and Traffic By-law 2849; Impounding By-law 13709, as cited by the city). (source: https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/abandoned-vehicles.aspx)
- Vancouver: ICBC: if you cancel your insurance, the plates go back to an Autoplan broker and the refund depends on the time left. (source: https://www.icbc.com/insurance/buy-renew-cancel/Cancel-your-insurance)

## Alberta

Cities where we have checked the official page:

- Calgary: A vehicle on the street must be operable and moved within 72 hours, or it may be considered abandoned. Do not leave unregistered or uninsured vehicles on streets. (source: https://www.calgary.ca/bylaws/street-use.html)
- Calgary: Snow route parking bans usually start about 18 hours after a snowfall and last up to 72 hours. Fines are up to $120 and vehicles can be towed. (source: https://www.calgary.ca/roads/conditions/snow-route-parking-bans.html)
- Calgary: Alberta: you can cancel a vehicle registration at a registry agent and get a refund for the time left, less $10 plus GST. (source: https://www.alberta.ca/cancel-vehicle-registration)
- Edmonton: A vehicle can park on a street for up to 72 consecutive hours if no other restriction applies; longer and it is treated as abandoned. (source: https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/bylaws/parking-enforcement-services)
- Edmonton: Seasonal parking bans follow heavy snowfall with at least 8 hours’ notice, in two phases (main roads, then residential streets). The fine for blocking winter road maintenance is $250. (source: https://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/on_your_streets/seasonal-parking-ban)

## Manitoba

Cities where we have checked the official page:

- Winnipeg: The city can declare five kinds of winter parking bans. The winter route ban can run any time from November 1 to the end of April, 2 am to 7 am, on signed winter and snow routes. (source: https://legacy.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/snow/winter-parking-bans.stm)
- Winnipeg: MPI Lay-up Coverage is for a vehicle taken off the road for an extended period. It covers fire, theft, vandalism and other accidental damage in storage, but not collision. (source: https://apps.mpi.mb.ca/Irc/Help/irc_insurance.html)

## What this means for a car you are not driving

A car that sits all winter runs into two kinds of rules. Street rules (overnight bans, snow bans, 3 hour or 72 hour limits) assume you move the car. Property rules in some cities, such as Toronto, Mississauga and Ottawa, also say an inoperative or unlicensed vehicle may not be kept in a yard.

That is why many owners put a spare, summer or second car into storage. See [winter car storage](https://car-storage.ca/storage/winter-car-storage/), or [send a request](https://car-storage.ca/request-a-spot/).

## Your city

- [Toronto](https://car-storage.ca/locations/toronto/): Storage and local rules in Toronto.
- [Mississauga](https://car-storage.ca/locations/mississauga/): Storage and local rules in Mississauga.
- [Brampton](https://car-storage.ca/locations/brampton/): Storage and local rules in Brampton.
- [Markham](https://car-storage.ca/locations/markham/): Storage and local rules in Markham.
- [Oakville](https://car-storage.ca/locations/oakville/): Storage and local rules in Oakville.
- [Richmond Hill](https://car-storage.ca/locations/richmond-hill/): Storage and local rules in Richmond Hill.
- [All locations](https://car-storage.ca/locations/): Every city and province we cover.

## Related

- [Storing a car outside in winter](https://car-storage.ca/guides/storing-a-car-outside-in-winter/)
- [Winter car storage](https://car-storage.ca/storage/winter-car-storage/)
- [Car storage by city](https://car-storage.ca/locations/)

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Find a spot: https://car-storage.ca/request-a-spot/ · Email: info@car-storage.ca