Pay Parking: Keep What Works, Fix What Doesn't
Updated: Oct 2
Pay parking came in for a reason.
Before the changes, City parking counts found that occupancy exceeded 85% across much of Lower and Central Lonsdale during busy periods. Once parking gets that full, people start circling the block or give up on finding a space altogether.
So I understand the goal: make it easier to find a space when you need one.
Now we need to look honestly at how the system is working.
What I'm Hearing
I've heard from people who say finding a space is easier now.
I've also heard plenty of frustration about permit costs, evening restrictions, having people over, and rules that don't always seem to make sense from one block to the next.
Today, pay parking generally runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The first 30 minutes is free. A visitor day pass in a permit area costs $12.50.
Those details matter because parking isn't an abstract transportation policy.
It's someone coming home from work, a caregiver visiting a parent, friends coming over for dinner, or a customer stopping at a local business.
The City's target is roughly 85% occupancy, leaving a few spaces available on each block, and the City has committed to monitoring the new system during 2026.
That's exactly what should happen.
Publish the Data
I'd start by making the results much easier for residents to see.
How full is each area?
How has occupancy changed since pay parking came in?
Are businesses seeing better turnover?
Are some residential streets consistently empty while nearby blocks remain overloaded?
Residents shouldn't have to dig through staff reports to understand why their street has a particular parking rule.
Publish the data. Then let it guide the adjustments.
Make Evenings Easier Where the Numbers Support It
I'd review the 9 p.m. end time area by area.
Where demand genuinely remains high later into the evening, the current hours may still make sense.
Where it doesn't, I'd consider ending restrictions closer to 6 p.m.
Different streets may need different answers.
Make It Easier to Have Visitors
I'd also like to see a simpler guest option for permitted households.
One digital guest pass per household would be a reasonable place to start, registered online by licence plate and easy to activate when someone is visiting.
I'd also improve options for caregivers and people making frequent medical visits.
Keep the Free 30 Minutes Simple
The first 30 minutes of pay parking is already free.
That's good for quick errands and local businesses.
We should make that easy to understand and easy to use, and look at whether local businesses can play a role in helping customers access that free period.
Review the Map
Parking demand changes.
If a block is consistently empty while another is overloaded, adjust the boundaries or the rules.
That should be normal management, not something that requires a major political debate every few years.
Consider seniors or caregivers exemptions, and full day visitor passes at no charge.
Measure It, Then Adjust It
I see a pretty simple approach here:
Keep what works. Fix what doesn't. And once a year, publish the basics: occupancy, revenue, operating costs, complaints, changes made, and whether parking is actually becoming easier to find.
That's the kind of feedback loop I'd like to see more often at City Hall.
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