Article content continued

There would be no change to the off-street parking garages and lots.

The transportation committee unanimously endorsed the staff recommendations to increase on-street parking rates and remove veto powers from BIAs, community associations and ward councillors when it comes to proposals to implement paid parking in existing free parking areas.

Under the plan, if staff want to end free parking in an area and install pay machines, they would study the idea and present a recommendation to council for a vote.

Only one BIA executive addressed the committee, but Dennis Van Staalduinen of the Wellington West BIA said the organization wasn’t asking to keep the BIA veto power. Instead, he called for parking revenues to be used in the neighbourhoods that generate them.

Some people want the parking rates to climb each year.

Trevor Haché of the Healthy Transportation Coalition urged councillors to raise parking rates by the same rate as annual transit fare increases and end any free parking available at city-owned lots. Transit fares usually go up by 2.5 per cent each year.

The city is also reconsidering how it maintains its parking reserve and is proposing to have minimum and maximum balances for the account. Any money above a proposed maximum balance could go to lifecycle maintenance and capital projects, councillors heard.

At the end of 2018 the parking reserve fund had $23.8 million. Over the last three years, the city was contributing about $3.6 million annually to the parking reserve.