Ottawa explores ‘creative solutions’ to address parking complaints in ByWard Market

Parking signs in Ottawa's ByWard Market. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)

The City of Ottawa is looking at “creative solutions” to help businesses receive deliveries in the ByWard Market, including a permit for delivery drivers to park in no-parking zones, as businesses complain about Bylaw officers issuing tickets to delivery drivers and customers.

The Grand Pizzeria co-owner Dave Mangano says he hears complaints weekly from delivery drivers receiving parking tickets while dropping off items in the market, and those tickets will end up increasing costs for customers.

“We’ve noticed, in particular with some of our smaller suppliers, they pull up for a few minutes, they drop one package off, a couple of packages off, and they get a ticket. A $200 delivery and they get a $120 ticket, and they don’t want to deliver down here again. I feel for them,” Mangano told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron.

“With our bigger suppliers too, they get a multitude of tickets and these tickets add up, and that cost gets passed on to me and then, in turn, we have to pass that cost onto the customer and it drives up menu costs.”

Mangano says the City of Ottawa recently designated one spot as a loading zone on George Street, but there is usually a delivery driver there for “most of the day.”

“We know now, my chef and myself and whoever is here, we know when they’re delivering so we’ll actually go out and watch the car for them, move the car for them,” Mangano said. “The suppliers are, generally, here all day and they’re getting ticketed at all different kinds of the day.”

Ottawa Bylaw and Regulatory Services say there are 10 on-street loading zones and an additional 14 “15-minute parking spaces,” which are created for businesses to load and unload supplies.

Bylaw Services Director Roger Chapman says parking enforcement is conducted to address, “safety and mobility of traffic and ensure the turnover of parking spaces and accessibility of businesses.”

“Due to the high density of the ByWard Market and the competitive nature of parking for tourists, residents and business owners, Parking Control regularly address issues of misuse of parking spaces, especially during peak times when the Market is busiest,” Chapman said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa. “During these times, vehicles are often observed parked in unsafe manners.”

Ottawa’s program manager of parking enforcement and parking control Michael Lalonde tells Newstalk 580 CFRA there are “different avenues businesses can take to unload their products,” and the city need to have “more creative solutions.”

“We have loading zones and 15-minute (parking) zones within the market. The issue is it’s free parking, so those are usually the spots that get utilized first,” Lalonde said Thursday.

“The challenges for some of the producers, with the competitiveness for those parking spots, is often trying to find a parking spot that can accommodate their size of vehicle to unload their merchandise safely. That’s why our parking enforcement is there in the market to enforce regulations, to ensure that everything’s being done safely.”

Lalonde says a $57 small business permit is available to park in no-parking zones for 15 minutes for loading and unloading deliveries.

“Zones were established where a vehicle can park for a short term without affecting too much the safety and mobility for pedestrians, for motorists or for emergency vehicles that need to get by,” Lalonde said, noting the permit gives Bylaw Services “leniency” for no-parking zones.

“We’re going to be working with the business owners on educating and developing that product in order to have a better solution for their need.”

Lalonde says the city and Bylaw Services are using the bylaw as an education tool, as it looks for solutions to loading and unloading for businesses and delivery drivers.

“It would be essentially utilizing permits in order to keep the no parking zones free, so that motorists who would be parking in the 15-minute zone wouldn’t be allowed to park in a no-parking zone,” Lalonde said. “That would keep that zone free so that the person who does require to load or unload their merchandise would be able to utilize those spots.”

Mangano says businesses would like Bylaw Services to use common sense when it comes to issuing tickets.

“We’re pushing for a review of the entire parking system in the market. We understand that there is a lot of money to be made off this and it has become a revenue-based system, but we also need to make it easier for pedestrians and delivery guys,” Mangano said, noting the city has agreed to discuss the parking issues with businesses.

Managing partner at Lowertown Brewery Alex Sirois suggests Bylaw Services show some “leniency” when it comes to tickets.

“Progress is coming, and I think the revitalization of the ByWard Market is going to be great and I think a lot of these things can be addressed.”

Sirois says he is looking into the $57 permit from the city to allow delivery drivers to park in no-parking zones to unload.

“I see two or three different Bylaw officers working the market every day. There are a lot of them down here,” Sirois said, noting bands get tickets when dropping off their gear.

Chapman insists Ottawa Bylaw and Regulatory Services have not increased enforcement in the ByWard Market.

“Most tickets issued in the ByWard Market are in pay-and-display zones or for stopping in a No Stopping area. No Stopping zones are implemented in areas where stopping creates a safety hazard for motorists and pedestrians,” Chapman told Newstalk 580 CFRA.

“The number of parking tickets issued are similar to pre-pandemic levels.”