WEDNESDAY, MAY 28TH | 2PM ET

IPMI Exclusive Learning Lab

How to Make Parking Work for People: Kitchener’s Trust-First Approach to Parking Tech

The City of Kitchener reimagined parking enforcement, and the results are worth sharing. 

Join us for a real-world blueprint for smarter enforcement and stronger community buy-in. 

  • See how passive parking enforcement and AI-powered LPR improve safety, coverage, and compliance.
  • Learn how a hybrid ticketing system increased revenue by 30% with the same number of enforcement officers.
  • Explore the rollout strategy that made citizens trust the technology and reduced complaints.

This isn’t a product pitch. It’s a practical session packed with takeaways your team can act on.

Meet Our Speakers

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Ian Misheal

The City of Kitchener, Innovation in Parking Operations and Programs Award Winner

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Mike Bourre

VP Sales & Marketing,
gtechna

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Ben Pisch

Ben Pisch

VP Clients and Markets NA, SenSen

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Meet Kitchener, Ontario

Increased officer safety

No need to leave
the vehicle.

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Reduced bias

Violations captured equally, automatically.

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Higher productivity

More coverage, higher ticket revenue.

A Pioneer in Modern Parking Enforcement

Kitchener’s parking program is built around safety and public trust. The city rolled out Ontario’s first AI-powered license plate recognition system built specifically for school zones. Kitchener’s transformation started with an upgrade from semi-automated LPR to fully automated AI-powered cameras, allowing for safer crossings, smarter coverage, and fewer manual errors. The first covered areas were school zones — high-stakes environments where safety and congestion collide.

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Improved Quality of Life

Then, authorities expanded, applying the same model to curbside rules like fire hydrants and no-standing zones, supported by a hybrid enforcement strategy: Ticket-by-Mail for speed and coverage, and handheld dispatching for precision and cost-saving (like reducing unnecessary DMV lookups).

The program now integrates:

  • Cloud-based towing
  • Shared officer timings across shifts
  • Paid-by-plate lots
  • And privacy-first policies, like purging personal data post-payment
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A Breakdown of the Tech Behind the Program

About AI-LPR Technology

SenSen’s AI-LPR technology uses artificial intelligence to deliver 98% accurate license plate detection and identification, enabling seamless integration into various enforcement scenarios, from on-street parking to complex, multi-use parking environments like bike lanes, loading zones, and areas near fire hydrants. The system's robust AI algorithms are adaptable and capable of evolving to keep up with urban mobility trends and changing parking regulations.

About Ticket-by-Mail

Ticket-by-Mail offers a comprehensive parking enforcement solution that seamlessly integrates automated direct mail citations with License Plate Recognition (LPR). This end-to-end system addresses operational challenges while meeting end-user expectations. Officers can expedite ticket processing, alleviating administrative burdens. Cities employing Ticket-by-Mail have witnessed increased compliance, reduced abuse of parking privileges, and improved public safety. 

Want to Dive Deeper Before the Learning Lab? 

These resources provide context around the tech, policy, and potential of what Kitchener’s doing:

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The Future of Curb Management

Find out how cities are rethinking curb space and
enforcement through digitization and intelligent tools.

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Ticket-by-Mail for On-Street Enforcement

Learn how Ticket-by Mail and Invoice-by Mail work.

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Discover SenSen Technology

Take a closer look at the AI LPR technology that
triggers passive parking enforcement.

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