Vancouver resumes parking enforcement across the city

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The City of Vancouver resumed all parking enforcement on Thursday.

Enforcement across the city is meant to ensure equitable access to parking for residents and businesses, the city says in a release.

Initially, the city relaxed parking enforcement as a response to diminished traffic volume and as a way to support essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with complaints growing, the city decided to resume parking enforcement to normal operating levels.

“The city has heard concerns from residents and business owners about vehicles occupying parking spots for extended periods,” says the release.

Enforcement efforts will focus on priority and problem areas, such as metered, time-limited, and residential-permit parking zones.

“City staff will monitor the situation and resume enforcement of other regulations, such as rush-hour zones, when needed.”

“…restarting parking enforcement will allow healthcare and homecare workers to find parking spots more easily. We will continue to offer free parking for these essential workers through their employers.”

Enforcement was initially relaxed on March 30th.

— Marcella Bernardo (@MBernardoNews) April 30, 2020

Restarting parking enforcement will also allow healthcare and homecare workers to find parking spots more easily, says the city.

“We will continue to offer free parking for these essential workers through their employers.”

When the city temporarily relaxed parking enforcement on March 30, it had asked people to avoid street parking if they had off-street options.

“Unfortunately, the suspension of parking enforcement has led many people to take advantage of the availability of parking for extended periods, thereby making it unavailable for others.”

The city then ramped up parking enforcement April 9 in the West End, Kitsilano, and Point Grey neighbourhoods.

Earlier this week, Vancouver Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung said reinstating paid parking will help offer some relief when it comes to the city’s financial woes.

“The City of Vancouver has a revenue gap that we need to close and it’s really important, I think, that we don’t forego any revenues. Unnecessarily parking is our third-largest source of revenue, and that equates to about five per cent of the city’s budget,” she added.