Vancouver council votes to give veterans free parking

A young boy places his poppy on a wreath at the Victory Square Cenotaph after a Remembrance Day ceremony in Vancouver, on Sunday November 11, 2018. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Vancouver — Vancouver city council has voted yes on giving veterans free parking.

City staff will now report back to council before next Remembrance Day on how to implement the free parking promise.

Coun. Melissa De Genova said on Twitter that year-round free parking for veterans is a "small way to say thanks for an immeasurable contribution to our country."

Currently, veterans can park for free in the week leading up to Remembrance Day, but several other cities, including Red Deer, Alta., Regina, Sask., White Rock, B.C. and London, Ont., allow free parking for veterans year-round.

In Red Deer, a city-provided parking pass program is administered by the Canadian Legion; the parking passes are good for five years and then must be renewed. Regina allows veterans to park free of charge at metred parking if they display a veteran licence plate.

White Rock allows four hours of free parking per day in pay parking areas, to cars displaying veteran licence plates.

A report done by the City of Surrey showed that there was little effect on parking meter revenues when the city allowed veterans to park for free, De Genova says in her motion.

De Genova is suggesting that veterans who display a valid veteran licence plate should get complimentary parking at metred parking spots, Easy Park lots, and at city-run community centres and pools. But the free parking should be limited to existing parking time limits, De Genova says in her motion.