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WINNIPEG — Drivers may soon have to pay to park in the downtown core at night.

The city’s parking authority is looking at charging a maximum of $2 per hour in certain areas for parking after 5:30 p.m.

On-street parking is currently free after that time.

The Winnipeg Parking Authority says charging an evening fee would help to free up parking spaces and increase turnover, as many drivers leave their cars parked overnight.

Council approved paid evening on-street parking in 2012, but it was never implemented.

It was delayed again in 2013 to help prevent negative impacts on businesses dealing with the NHL lockout. Later that year, drivers were forced to start paying for parking earlier in the day as pay stations took effect at 8 a.m.

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The proposed change would include adding 95 more pay stations.

The proposal will go before the newly re-formed alternate service delivery committee on Monday.

That committee hasn’t met since December 2013 but was resurrected by Mayor Brian Bowman to help find cost savings for the city.