Paid parking expansion limited to 7:30 p.m. as committee passes compromise

Ottawa city councillors have voted to pare back proposed parking changes that would have extended paid parking late into the evenings and on Sundays.

City staff initially wanted to charge for parking until 9 p.m. in areas including the ByWard Market and parts of Little Italy and the Glebe. In areas that currently have paid parking on Saturdays, paid parking would also apply on Sundays.

But Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster introduced a motion to limit the evening paid hours to 7:30 p.m. and axe the extension of paid parking to Sundays. Her motion would then have staff report back in 2027 on how the new hours are working.

• Plan for paid street parking during evenings, weekends frustrates business owners

Troster called it a compromise motion that would give the city a chance to assess the data.

"There are a lot of concerns here, and I think the compromise motion that I'm putting forward acknowledges that and gives us a little bit more time," she said. 

"I don't think this will have a huge impact on business, but if I'm wrong we have another chance to look at this in 2027."

Business owners opposed

But several business owners disagreed. They came to committee to oppose any move to extend paid parking into the evening.

Darrel Cox of the Ottawa Coalition of Business Improvement Areas said it would be yet another burden for businesses dealing with tariffs and other economic challenges.

Dave Mangano from The Grand Pizzeria & Bar in the ByWard Market said paid parking makes it tough to compete with big box businesses that offer ample free parking.

Todd Brown, a partner in a group of downtown restaurants including Pure Kitchen and the Clocktower, said the proposed changes will drive away diners and devastate business.

"We're in a really tough time for restaurants," he said. "Consumers are not willing to pay more money."

But Cassie Smith of the non-profit EnviroCentre cited research showing that drivers searching for parking adds significantly to traffic and greenhouse gas emissions.

"Paid parking makes it easier for drivers to find a spot where and when they need it," Smith said.

In her view, that will actually attract more customers for business. She described free parking as a subsidy for cars and asked the city to level the playing field for more sustainable modes of transportation.

"Charging for parking is good economic, social and environmental policy," Smith said.

Other cities charge, staff say

City staff had proposed the changes to promote turnover in high-demand parking areas. The extended hours would only be added in areas where evening or weekend demand exceeds 80 per cent of spaces.

Staff conducted a review of other cities that showed most have both evening and weekend paid parking hours. 

"All of the data from every other major city that has done this says, yes, it is going to work," said Troster. "And the only way we are going to know is if we try."

Troster's compromise motion won wide support at the public works and infrastructure committee, including from chair Tim Tierney.

"We've come up with a solution that I think most people will be happy with," he said. "Obviously when the public is speaking, sometimes we do have to listen. Mind you, there are a lot of opposing sides to this."

Only Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine voted against the motion at committee. He said he supports the more ambitious staff recommendations.

The committee's decision isn't final, since a full meeting of council will have a chance to weigh in. If the changes do pass, they would take effect in September.

The changes would also affect areas that don't yet have paid parking but are due to get it later this year. That includes parts of Richmond Road, where staff are proposing extending evening parking on weekdays.

While the southern section of Little Italy South and the ByWard Market would get evening paid parking on both weekdays and weekends, the south Glebe would only see hours extended into the evenings on weekdays, not weekends.

Some delegations to the committee suggested that the paid parking expansion is a cash grab, but the city's parking services manager Scott Caldwell explained that the city is restricted in how it can spend that money. The funds can pay for parking infrastructure, as well as secure bike parking and EV parking stations.

Caldwell said Troster's compromise motion will still allow city staff to achieve their aim of increasing turnover during those hours.