Finally! In one of the most logical moves made by City Hall in recent memory, overnight parking permits are now available for Toronto residents. The temporary permits will come in 24 or 48-hour versions, at $8 and $12 respectively.

Thanks for this most welcome news should go to Councillor Paula Fletcher, who first proposed the idea. "There are many situations which call for a short-term permit," Fletcher said of the proposal back in March. "Spur of the moment decisions to stay overnight, either for romantic or 'too much merriment' reasons, lead to a $30 ticket.... Many weekend visitors are from out of town and have to pay for a seven-day temporary permit."

Here are the instructions on how to acquire a permit via a City of Toronto press release:

"To get a permit, applicants need access to a computer and printer, credit card, and a couple of minutes to fill out some basic information online. The simple, step-by-step procedure can be found at http://www.toronto.ca/transportation. Weekly on-street parking permits can also be obtained through this method. Residents can also apply for an overnight on-street parking permit in person at Toronto City Hall, Etobicoke Civic Centre and East York Civic Centre. For more information about the City's parking permits call 311."