Council unanimously approves changes to parking fees and regulations

City Council has unanimously approved changes to parking fees and regulations to enhance traffic flow, reduce congestion, and better support customer experience and sustainable transportation throughout the city.

Key changes include: 

• Standardizing fees: The pilot program that standardized parking meter fees in Chinatown to $2 per hour resulted in increased parking transactions and positive feedback from businesses. Based on this success, the City will apply a similar uniform parking fee approach to other neighbourhoods city-wide by July 1, 2025 to improve consistency and customer experience. Zones and fees are noted in Appendix A of the Council report PDF file (815 KB). 
• Increase in lowest rate fee:  The lowest parking meter fee will increase from $1 to $1.50 per hour, to account for inflation and increased transaction and processing fees. The lowest fees have not been adjusted since 2012.
• Extended free parking: Starting in 2026, on-street pay parking will end at 6 pm in areas with low occupancy and the lowest meter fees. Potential areas that could see this change include Strathcona and Great Northern Way.
• Electric vehicle charges: Starting January 1, 2025, vehicles using on-street electric vehicle charging stations will be charged for the amount of energy supplied to the car rather than the time plugged in, addressing the issue of different charging speeds for various EVs. This change aligns with BC Hydro's new pricing structure. Pay parking fees remain if charging on a metered street. 

“These changes aim to provide a more consistent and user-friendly parking experience across Vancouver,” says Mayor Ken Sim. “By updating our regulations, we hope to improve access and convenience for residents, businesses and visitors alike.”

The new regulations will be implemented in phases, beginning in early 2025. Read the Council report here PDF file (815 KB).