Street parking may soon have Winnipeggers digging deeper into their pockets.
The increased costs outlined in the city’s budget amendments could mean parking will rise by $1.50 beginning on April 1, 2018. That is nearly double the current price.
Right now parking rates range from one to two dollars, so parking rates will go up to $3.50 an hour, equating to roughly $28.00 a day.
The changes will put Winnipeg’s costs on par with Edmonton’s, but well ahead of Regina and Saskatoon, where it costs $2 an hour to park on the street.
Calgary currently charges up to $5 an hour for street parking. Ottawa charges $3 and Vancouver clocks in at $7.
Despite the stark differences in size, Manitoba’s capital will be closer to Toronto’s rates, where street parking costs $4 per hour.
Economist Rob Warren said these increases may leave many Winnipeggers re-considering driving downtown to shop or to access other services.
“If you’re going up from a dollar to $2.50, that rate’s gone up 250 per cent, two and a half times,” Warren said. “That’s a big increase, and if you’re going to be there for two hours, that’s five dollars you’re going to have to pay.”
“That can make or break the difference between going to a downtown merchant or a downtown service provider versus going to somebody else.”
The parking company Indigo said it does not plan on increasing rates based on the city’s parking prices, but does routinely compare rates and fees based on supply and demand.
The city is voting on the proposed budget Tuesday.
With files from Amber McGuckin
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