Paid on-street parking coming to Wellington West and Westboro next spring

A City of Ottawa parking meter is seen in this 2016 file photo. (Tyler Fleming / CTV News Ottawa)

The meter is running out on free on-street parking in Westboro and Wellington Street West.

The transportation committee approved a plan to implement paid on-street parking next spring on sections of Richmond Road, Wellington Street West, Somerset Street West, Danforth Avenue, Churchill Avenue and Holland Avenue.

The parking rate will be $3 an hour.

On-street parking has been free on the popular streets in Westboro and Wellington Street West for years.  There is a 90-minute maximum parking time limit from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week along the business corridor of Richmond Road and Wellington Street West.

Councillors voted 8-3 against a motion to delay the implementation of paid parking until after the Confederation Line is extended west from Tunney's Pasture to Moodie Drive and Baseline Station.

Coun. Jeff Leiper told the committee he will support the implementation of paid parking in Westboro and Wellington Street West at council, but wanted councillors to delay the introduction of parking fees until LRT is extended.

"Let's leverage great transit as a way to mitigate the impact of the loss of the parking, but we have to have the transit there first," Leiper said, noting paid parking may push more vehicles onto residential streets.

"I am not seeking to stall the implementation of paid parking. I'm going to be in favour at council of implementing paid parking and that vote will not change, but I am asking to help those employees…with great transit."

Transportation committee chair Tim Tierney was one of eight councillors to vote against delaying implementing paid parking.

"I do not associate parking, totally, with business. I actually think that parking in rotation is going to assist business," Tierney said, adding the city should have implemented paid parking in the neighbourhoods years ago.

The staff plan will see paid parking implemented on main street corridors and streets with "prominent commercial and non-residential zones," starting in the second quarter of 2025:

Staff recommend implementing paid on-street parking no earlier than the spring of 2025 to allow for planning and securing equipment.

Increasing parking rates

The City of Ottawa is increasing on-street parking rates to $4 an hour in six zones across the city this summer, while rates will jump to $4.50 an hour near the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus.

Starting in August, on-street parking rates will increase to $4 an hour in the following zones:

Parking rates on Ruskin Street near the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus will increase $1 an hour to $4.50.