THUNDER BAY — Free parking starts immediately as city council approved a complimentary parking plan in a 9-2 vote.
Commissioner of corporate services, Keri Greaves, told council that “it's just a matter of pressing the button now,” and the city will stop enforcing paid parking at all meters and start offering complimentary parking.
The city will now allow two hours of free on-street meter parking across most of the city, and four free hours at the marina.
Greaves stressed that the city would like citizens to use the Passport Parking app, so staff can gather as much parking data before a revised parking plan comes back to council in 2027.
But he understands that not all residents can access the app.
Greaves said the parking patrol will still be out marking vehicle tires for those using coins to pay for parking.
Residents will have two free hours of parking from when the parking patrol marks the vehicle's tires, and after that, “if you're still there, then that person will get a ticket,” Greaves said.
Paid parking will still be enforced at the north and south core parkades, as well as the city service lots on Red River Road, behind the bus loop, and the parking lot off Archibald Street, near the courthouse.
At Large Coun. Rajni Agarwal thanked city staff for bringing the parking plan forward. Agarwal put the notice of motion forward to council for debate.
“The proposal basically gives people two hours in the downtown course. You're shopping, Bay Street, Westfort, Downtown Waterfront, or even the Fort William area, you can park for free for two hours. Your third hour, you're going to pay for it. Well, that gives you the opportunity to go for lunch, go for a coffee, and not have to be encumbered with paying for parking,” Agarwal said.
While nine council members were in support of walking back the city’s approved parking strategy, which Greaves said was aimed at incentivizing parking turnover for area businesses, McIntyre Coun. Albert Aiello and At-Large Coun. Shelby Ch'ng were not convinced that taking a loss in city revenue was the right move.
“We've got to get on board with the rest of the world. Like, if you have to pay $1 for 3 hours at the marina. We need to pay $1. At the end of the day, we're gonna have to pave the marina parking lot. We're going to have to pave all that. It's going to come out of the taxpayer,” Aiello said.
The city is projecting an overall revenue loss of $944,000 to its parking reserve fund, according to Greaves.
“I just have a tough time because there's no compromise in this. It's not $1 for 3 hours or $1 for 4 hours, something that's very, very affordable, but people aren’t getting used to paying. It's just the rest of the world does,” Aiello said.
“And the revenue, the loss in revenue is ultimately, the user (will) pay.”
Ch’ng's concerns were also centred around revenue loss, suggesting businesses offer complimentary parking through the Passport Parking app.
“I'm just not really convinced that we should be giving away free parking. Honestly, everywhere you go in the world, you have to pay for parking except for Thunder Bay. I think you even have to pay for parking in Kenora,” Ch’ng said.
“I get it that businesses are struggling. I was a business owner too. I paid for parking, specifically for my customers to come in my shop and purchase things. I'm sure with the app ... is there an opportunity for organizations or businesses to offer, somehow, complimentary parking?”
The motion will be back to council for ratification at a future meeting. But the city will not wait for the change to be official before implementing the new policy, putting it in effect as of Tuesday.
