A city committee is recommending council approve a proposal to streamline Calgary’s existing residential parking permit program by using the Calgary Parking Authority’s ParkPlus system.
Currently, the City of Calgary spends $855,000 per year on the residential permit program, which issues 34,000 permits for 77 parking-restricted zones around Calgary.
If the city were to transition to using the ParkPlus system for residential permits, the proposal suggests drivers would be able to register their licence plate online or in-person. ParkPlus officials would then be responsible for enforcement.
The parking authority said using the ParkPlus system could potentially to increase the tickets issued by as much as 30 per cent.
On Wednesday, Ward 9 Councillor Gian-Carlo Carra told a transportation committee the switch would be more efficient and would save the city money.
“We have a very arduous and expensive paper system,” he said. “What we have before us is the ability to take our world-leading parking management technology and provide a much better service.”
Carra said the system could be phased in when renewals come due.
He added it could be an opportunity to sell ParkPlus technology to other municipalities looking to enforce residential parking permits in their cities.
Ward 7 Councillor Druh Farrell argued there hasn’t been enough consultation to move forward just yet.
”This program could be successful or it could fail based on the ability to communicate,” Farrell said. “The information isn’t complete … I hope we’re better at communicating to members of the public.”
The recommendation passed by a 4-2 margin and now goes before city council.