FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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GENERAL FAQ
WHAT IS CANARY?
Canary is dedicated to stopping the misuse of mobility (disability) parking spaces in Aotearoa New Zealand. We use smart camera technology and community partnerships to protect accessibility and promote fairness with every verified breach, triggering a breach notice to be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. For every payment made of a breach notice, a $50 donation to chosen local charities are made.
WHERE DOES CANARY OPERATE?
We’re currently working with businesses and facilities across Aotearoa New Zealand, and are expanding quickly. If you know a location that needs our help, get in touch here.
WHAT DOES THE NAME “CANARY” MEAN?
Like the canary in the coal mine, we’re here to raise the alarm when something’s not right. We work quietly, consistently, and with purpose. Our work is about prevention, not punishment.
HOW CAN I HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT CANARY?
I SAW SOMEONE MISUSE A DISABILITY PARK - WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If the park is monitored by Canary, our cameras will have already recorded the event for review. If not, and it’s an ongoing issue at a particular site, please let us know we’ll reach out to the property owner and offer our support.
IS THE SYSTEM OVERLY STRICT OR PUNITIVE?
No. Our aim is to educate, deter, and protect – not punish. Our signage is clear and visible, and our process is respectful. We focus on awareness and community accountability, ensuring the mobility parks are available for those that are legally entitled to use them.
FOR BUSINESSES
AND FACILITIES
HOW CAN I GET CANARY AT MY SITE?
It’s easy. Just contact us to request a free site assessment. We’ll walk you through how our monitored parking solution works, and how it can help your customers and community.
WHAT’S THE COST TO MY BUSINESS?
There’s no cost. Our solution is designed to be self-sustaining and community focused. We install, monitor, and manage the system, so you can focus on running your business while showing your support for accessibility.
HOW DOES THE TECHNOLOGY WORK?
We use ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras to monitor mobility parks. When a vehicle parks in a designated mobility space, the system checks for a valid permit. Our team manually reviews any potential breaches to ensure accuracy and fairness.
IS THIS SYSTEM PUNITIVE?
No. Our aim is to educate, deter, and protect, not punish. Our signage is clear and visible, and our process is respectful. We focus on awareness and community accountability, ensuring the mobility parks are available for those that are legally entitled to use them.
How many complaints do you receive from people getting breach notices?
We monitor our compliments and complaints carefully, and at a -0.05% complaint rate, we know Canary is doing an incredibly important job, and it’s being implemented well. We also have great support and compliments in the Canary Facebook page, with the wider community actively supporting enforcement of the mobility (disability) parking.
The important thing to remember as a site owner is that one of the best parts of Canary for you is that the customers wanting to come and shop with you are the ones with mobility (disability) permits, not the people that park there when they shouldn’t!
A recent case study Canary did to understand this issue more, found that 63% parking breaches are there for just 5 minutes, they aren’t customers coming to your business to spend money. They are there to use the ATM near your business, or to pick someone up.
You can also feel comfortable that Canary is the face of the monitoring and enforcement, there is community friendly signage, that is professional and clearly marked as being monitored by Canary, with our contact details. We are the ones that will happily and patiently talk to anyone that feels they have been issued a breach notice by mistake or would like to talk about any concerns they may have. You can leave it all to Canary! All you have to say yes.
RECEIVED A BREACH NOTICE?
WHY DID I RECEIVE A BREACH NOTICE?
You will have received a notice if our monitoring system detected that your vehicle was parked in a mobility space without clearly displaying a valid mobility parking permit. All breaches are manually reviewed by our team before a notice is issued.
If you believe this notice was issued in error, please follow the appeal process outlined on the notice, we are committed to resolving genuine mistakes with care and understanding.
HOW DO I PAY A BREACH NOTICE?
Payment instructions are clearly outlined on the breach notice you received. Typically, this includes an online payment portal and contact information if you need assistance.
If you’d like help or wish to discuss the notice, you’re welcome to contact us directly. We’re here to help.
If you think that you have been issued a breach notice in error you can appeal the notice using the online form which you will find here on our website.
FOR THE COMMUNITY
HOW CAN I HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT CANARY?
You can help by:
- Telling your local supermarket, mall, GP, or school about Canary
- Like and share our Facebook and Instagram to spread the word
- Contacting us directly with suggestions for new sites or stories to share
- Contacting us directly with suggestions for new sites or stories to share. You can email us at support@canary.org.nz or call 09 666 0304.
Together, we can make mobility parking misuse a thing of the past.
I SAW SOMEONE MISUSE A DISABILITY PARK. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If the park is monitored by Canary, our cameras will have already recorded the event for review. If not, and it’s an ongoing issue at a particular site, please let us know we’ll reach out to the property owner and offer our support. You can email us at support@canary.org.nz or call us on 09 666 0304.
HOW DOES CANARY SUPPORT ME AS A PERMIT HOLDER?
We’re here to protect your right to safe, reliable parking. Our monitoring systems are designed to reduce misuse and ensure mobility parks are available when and where you need them.
WILL I EVER BE WRONGLY FLAGGED?
Our internal team manually verifies all footage before taking any action. If you have a valid permit displayed correctly, you will not be considered in breach. We prioritise accuracy, discretion, and fairness. If you feel you have been issued a notice by mistake please contact us using the formal appeals process.
HOW DOES THE DONATION SYSTEM WORK?
For every paid verified breach of a monitored mobility park, Canary donates $50 to a chosen New Zealand charity. These donations go directly to causes that support health, mobility, and inclusion.
HOW MUCH HAS CANARY DONATED SO FAR?
We’ve already donated over $30,000 to amazing organisations including Hato Hone St John, Spinal Support NZ, and The Western Community Centre in Hamilton and we’re just getting started.
HOW CAN MY ORGANISATION OR CHARITY BE CONSIDERED FOR DONATIONS?
If your charity or community group supports people living with disabilities or promotes accessibility, and wellbeing in New Zealand, we’d love to hear from you. Please email us here with:
- A short introduction to your organisation
- Who you support and how
- Your charity number (if applicable)
- How a donation would help
We regularly review and rotate our charity partners to ensure wide impact across the country.
Email us at support@canary.org.nz
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us, whether you’re looking to partner with us, recommend a site, or just want to learn more. Let’s work together for a more accessible Aotearoa New Zealand.