Parking/OC Transpo fees

[Cre47]

Council have made two controversial decisions over the past two months in regards to transit and parking fees in order to generate more revenue to balance the budget. Free parking in several areas downtown as well as in Westboro and Beechwood would have been fully initially be a thing of the past as it parking costs on spaces with meters would be $3. However, the city took a major step back with reinstating free evening and Sunday parking. The fee increase during the day for 6 days would be still maintain with a slight additionnal increase of 25 cents later this year. Still it would be still relatively cheap in compare to other cities like O'Brien said but still the BIAs are planing to sue the city for that.

Meanwhile, OC Transpo fees are expected to skyrocket by close to 25-30% over the next three years on average which will make it among the highest in the country. Still, the city did not consider on revising that astronomical hike. And that issue which has a much bigger impact is yet completely neglected by the media.

So what was the worst decision of the two made by the city, the parking fare hikes or the transit hikes. For me, it looks much more the transit hikes obviously although as far as the parkings is concern, they should also throw a fee for the parkings of big-box suburban stores.

[p_xavier]

So what was the worst decision of the two made by the city, the parking fare hikes or the transit hikes. For me, it looks much more the transit hikes obviously although as far as the parkings is concern, they should also throw a fee for the parkings of big-box suburban stores.
I'm not against both of them.

The 50% ratio is acceptable in my eyes, because when costs will go up, the city will share the burden with the transit users. This is more reasonable than hikes for whatever reasons.

The free parking is the problem. Like I mentioned before, there should be a property tax fee for each parking space. If the business can't afford to pay for the parkings, well they can sell the land and do some infill. It's time to tax pollution.

[m0nkyman]

Metered parking exists to benefit businesses in the core. When it acts against their interests it is not doing it's job.

Forcing turnover of parking spots in retail areas through metered parking makes it more convenient for shoppers, and meters push commuters off the street and into either transit or all-day parking lots/structures.

Extending that outside of the regular business hours is a cash grab that doesn't benefit the merchants in any way.

In the Market or on Elgin, there could be an argument made for extending the times of meter operation, simply because increased turnover would benefit the businesses in the area.

[Deez]

Not that I'm for any transit fare hikes, but Ottawa still has some of the lowest costs in the country for a monthly pass. A transit pass for the TTC will set you back 100$.

[Ottawade]

Fare hikes are a natural part of things unfortunately, everything else feels inflation, why shouldn't these two services. The parking is the real fiasco. Saturday (night) meter probably really will hurt the city. Who wants to go to a fancy dinner, a show, or a bar and have to run out to the car every 2 hrs.

The real silliness is the unwillingness to meter other parts of the city.

[lrt's friend]

It is obvious to me that the parking meter increases are simply a money grab by the city. Parking meter policies should be something negotiated with business owners. The main reason for increasing meter rates or extending hours is to deal with parking shortages so that there is sufficient turnover so that potential customers can find a place to park. When there is no shortage in parking, or the customer base requires longer parking times, meter rates should adjusted accordingly or eliminated entirely. Bad parking meter policy could damage our downtown.

Bus fares should reflect changes in costs.