Hamilton city council approves 50 cent increase for meter parking

Parking meters around the city will increase by 50 cents this summer after city council approved a parking meter price hike to $2 per hour.

Council voted on Monday to also increase the cost of downtown parkades to $3 per hour and $12 per day. There will also be a $10 increase to monthly permits.

Expect to pay 50 cents more per hour when you plug a parking meter in #HamOnt and to do it with your smartphone this summer @TeviahMoro reports https://t.co/SC0biydqdN

— Hamilton Spectator (@TheSpec) March 3, 2020

The increase will be timed to coincide with the roll-out of the city’s new pay-by-phone service that is planned to start in June or July of this year. Residents will be able pay for meter parking through an app on their phone and be able to top it up remotely while in shops and restaurants. There will still be an option to pay by coins.

Hikes to parking fines were also approved during Monday’s budget meeting at city council. All of the increases in parking fares and fines will add an estimated $1.6 million in revenue a year for the city. 

Council already raised parking meter rates from $1 to $1.50 back in 2017 and saw the meters bring in a revenue of roughly $2.4 million by 2018. 

Business improvement areas that would be most impacted by the parking fare increases had varied feedback about the idea. Most told the city they would support increases if they coincided with the release of the parking app. 

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• Hamilton
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