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But reaching the necessary consensus among the BIAs and community associations to make the change wasn’t possible, so paid parking won’t be recommended in Kitchissippi’s new parking strategy, which is slated for consideration next month by the transportation committee.

There is a “good body of literature” on how to use pricing to alleviate some of the pressure caused by parking demand, but Leiper said some were reticent to accept it.

“Even though we have spent quite a while talking with residents and businesses about what that literature demonstrates, I think people are still being guided by their gut. People don’t like to pay for parking and so the assumption becomes, ‘If I don’t want to pay for parking, then others won’t either,'” he said.

Some business owners feared the introduction of paid parking would “dissuade people from visiting their shops and they’ll go to places where there is free parking available,” he said.

The Wellington West BIA opposed paid parking, while the Westboro BIA came out in favour of it, Leiper said. Paid parking on the commercial strip is one of the city’s preconditions for getting a parking garage, which many in Westboro believe would further help alleviate parking problems.

Three out of four affected community associations also opposed paid parking.

Westboro has seen a huge increase in on-street parking demand.

Utilization in the peak period, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., was 65 per cent in 1997; last year it was 92 per cent. Average utilization is also up to 82 per cent from 49 per cent in 1997.