WEEKLY UPDATE - MAR 25

Welcome to the Weekly Wrap Up! Last week was a busy one with some big decisions to highlight.

We are moving forward with a new strategy to address unpermitted surface parking lots in the core. The approach provides a path to compliance - in exchange for beautifying their lots, owners will be able to get temporary permits to operate. Legalising these lots was not the resolution I expected but one I see the advantage of. In addition to more attractive spaces and avoiding empty lots, owners will pay business improvement area levies. We’ll also be able to enforce more effectively against those that don’t comply.

Having fewer surface lots downtown is the ultimate goal, but while we wait for development to start, ensuring these lots are regulated, improved, and contributing financially to the core is a step in the right direction.

Downtown residential construction incentives are going to be a part of that development process. We’ll be talking about these more at our next Council meeting and I look forward to finding ways for us to support the many great opportunities downtown!

We made another big decision related to parking last week with changes to the Residential Parking Permit program at Urban Planning Committee. This program hasn’t been reviewed since the 1970s and has been applied unevenly across the city over the past decades.

The changes include adding an annual fee of $120 and reducing the number of program areas. Both of these aspects have a big impact on residents who are currently in the program and there’s a lot of work ahead to manage the transition.

The most important takeaway for me was that removing the program doesn’t mean a parking free-for-all. The project team is going to be working with neighbourhoods to ensure any needed regulations are put in place, including time limits or loading zones. While there will be challenges with these changes, the outcome will be better use of our curbside spaces and more parking choices for everyone. I encourage anyone with further questions to reach out to my office and we can be sure to connect you with the project team.

Council is on recess this week so the next Weekly Wrap Up will be in two weeks, with lots of important updates on happenings at City Hall. See you in April!