Hundreds of unwary drivers are facing $50 tickets after a seasonal parking ban kicked in at 7 a.m. Friday.

The ban, meant to make life easier for crews clearing snow from bus routes, was worse for those whose vehicles were towed. They will have to fork over at least $200 at the impound lot.

As of Friday afternoon, 236 tickets had been issued and 17 vehicles had been towed from bus routes marked with seasonal-parking-ban signs, a city official said.

Keith Tiedemann was among the unfortunate drivers who got ticketed.

"My wife is in long-term care and I come to see her every day — you've got to park somewhere," Tiedemann told CBC News, adding he wasn't aware of the parking ban.

"I'm a veteran and I'm living on my pension and looking after my wife at the same time. Of course it's going to hurt."

City spokesman Bob Dunford says plows are making good progress and will continue through the weekend.

"Probably still have some cleanup to do on Sunday," Dunford said Friday. "Our goal right now, of course, is we want to get through not just the arterials and get them into shape, but get through the collector bus routes as quick as we can so we can lift that ban."

The parking ban remains in effect even after a street has been cleared.

The city expects to lift the parking ban by Monday morning.