Commuters are weighing their options after Metrolinx announced Tuesday it is considering charging for parking at its GO Transit station lots.

Metrolinx says the research is in its early stages and provided no timeline for implementing any policy that would eliminate free parking currently available.

Outside the Clarkson GO station in Mississauga, Adrian Grigrof told CBC News that he wouldn't mind paying for parking "if it's a reasonable price.

"I don't work every day downtown, I work from home, so when I come now and then, especially if I leave late, I'd rather pay than lose the train or walk," Grigrof said.

"But if the weather is bad, walking through all those parking lots is not the best option," he added.

Grigrof explained that sometimes he has to park at a nearby grocery store due to the high demand for a parking spaces at the station.

Anne Marie Aikins, the spokesperson for the provincial agency, which oversees transit in the GTA and surrounding regions, said Metrolinx has 77,000 parking spots and that less than 10 per cent are reserved spots that cost riders $98 a month.

A quarter of GO station parking lots are at capacity, Aikins said.

"One of the options we are looking at is increasing the percentage of reserved spots very gradually," she said. "Again, nothing is finalized and we are still studying and researching options."

She said GO Transit ridership is increasing and parking is at capacity at a quarter of the agency's stations.

Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins says the research is in its early stages and provided no timeline for implementing any policy that would eliminate free parking currently available. (CBC News)

Anthony Brifoglio said drivers have to constantly jostle for one of the free spots.

He said it took him about 20 minutes to find a parking spot at the Clarkson GO station lot Tuesday.

"It's already hard enough to find a parking spot — then to have to pay for it; it kinda sucks," Brifoglio told CBC Toronto.

"I was just driving around in circles. I don't think I'd be one of the people that want to pay for it, for sure."

Building more lots not economical, Metrolinx says

Metrolinx said while finding parking can be difficult at some lots, building more is not economical or good for the environment.

"[We] continue to work with municipalities to support customers to get to stations other ways such as local transit, biking, walking, ride sharing and carpooling," Aikins said.

Ontario Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney said the province does not plan to eliminate free parking completely at GO stations but acknowledged that Metrolinx is looking for ways to "maximize" its current supply.

"I look forward to hearing from Metrolinx and also from members of the community on what they think should be the right mix," she said, adding that parking can be difficult to find at some GO lots.

"We hear about these challenges all the time. I think it speaks to how well-received the service increases have been."

Mulroney said she has not yet seen Metrolinx's final report and that it could eventually mean some parking charges to help pay for the construction of more lots for commuters.

"That could be part of the review," she said.

"We're looking at all sorts of options. We want to increase GO ridership. That is going to bring more and more cars to GO stations. But we encourage people to find other modes of transportation to get to GO stations."