Council urged to reinstate parking rules

The City of Saskatoon administration recommends reinstating paid parking and rules around time limits in city-run parking areas on June 1.

The city suspended payment requirements in its pay parking zones on March 20, two days after the Government of Saskatchewan declared a provincial state of emergency in response to the COVID -19 pandemic. In addition, drivers were not required to comply with the posted parking time limits in the pay parking zones.

Now that the province is rolling out the Re-open Saskatchewan plan, it’s time to think about lifting those restrictions, the city administration argues.

Under Re-open Saskatchewan, retail stores, shopping malls and personal services such as hair salons and massage therapists can open as of May 19, when phase two of the plan is put in place. More businesses, including restaurants and fitness facilities, will be able to open in future phases, but no date has been set for these yet.

“Businesses and services will start to open ... thus increasing parking demand in pay parking zones,” the administration says in a report headed to city council’s governance and priorities committee on Tuesday.

The administration says when people are once again required to pay for parking, they will be encouraged to do so using the Waytopark app, which will allow them to pay without touching high-touch surfaces.

“While we recognize not everyone has access to the app, hand sanitizer is now more widely available. This allows the public to take the necessary precautions, should they need to use the Flexparking pay stations,” the report states.

The city’s residential parking permit program, which limits the amount of time non-residents can park in some residential neighbourhoods, was also suspended in March. The administration recommends that suspension also be lifted soon.

“Planning is currently underway to address the logistical considerations in issuing permits and administration anticipates having a plan in place in the near future. As soon as plans are confirmed and implemented, Administration recommends reinstatement of parking enforcement in the RPP zones,” the report says.

Planning is currently underway to address the logistical considerations in issuing permits

The administration notes that restrictions imposed because of the pandemic had an “immediate impact” on pay parking revenue. The city typically brings in $125,000 a week in parking revenue, and that increases in the summer months.

Last year, in a 10-week period starting in late March, the city netted $1.25 million from pay parking and collected another $630,000 from tickets issued for bylaw regulations that have been suspended this spring. None of that revenue will be received this year. However, the city saved roughly $145,000 by not having to pay staff to enforce the bylaws.

“It is expected pay parking revenues will be significantly reduced from previous years over the coming months and will begin to rise only as the province is able to move into latter phases of the Re-open Saskatchewan plan. Ticket revenue will likely be similarly impacted,” the report notes.