Long-term parking at city-owned facilities in downtown Victoria will rise as much as $40 a month, council has decided.
Victoria councillors unanimously supported a staff report Thursday that calls for some fees in city parkades and parking lots to be increased, with an eye to dissuading long-term users, making more space available for short-term use. The first hour of parking will still be free.
Monthly parking fee increases at parkades include Yates Street and Broughton Street going from $160 to $200, View Street from $175 to $200, Johnson Street from $140 to $170 and Centennial Square from $110 to $150.
A timetable has not been set for implementing the hikes in long-term fees, which have not changed since 2007.
Finance director Susanne Thompson said the average monthly parking fee at private lots is $195.
The report called for continuing the first-hour-free policy at parkades, then charging $2 for both second and third hours, and $3 for each hour beyond that. The maximum per day would be $14.50 at all parkades, except for $16 at Yates Street.
“The current market ranges from $6 to $16 in the privately owned parkades,” Thompson said. “If I remove the very low end of those, the [$6] to $8, that results in an average of just under $13.”
“I think it’s the best way to go,” Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe said.
Coun. Chris Coleman said the increases will serve a useful purpose, supporting a need for short-term parking.
The city oversees nearly 4,200 parking spots downtown in parkades, surface lots and on streets, Thompson said; there are 55 privately owned lots.
“The parkades were built to provide parking for shopping and visitors, and while we can accommodate some longer-term parking, we do not have enough capacity to host all commuters,” she said. “Within the parkades, usage is up about 60 per cent since 2014 and 75 per cent of the transactions are less than three hours.”
A “capacity challenge” has developed at the parkades from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, Thompson said. “While 75 per cent of transactions are for short-term duration visits, we’re seeing an increase in the daily parkers who park all day.”
jwbell@timescolonist
