Project background

Council has directed staff (passed unanimously on November 1, 2021) to develop options for a paid on-street parking program in Northdale. Following their direction, we are consulting with area residents, including students, area businesses, and post-secondary institutions, and will report back to Council by June 2022.

Currently, on-street parking in the Northdale area is the same as in other areas of the City of Waterloo: limit of 3 hours of free parking on residential streets where parking is allowed unless signs say differently. Overnight parking is not permitted on any streets in the City of Waterloo, but residents can apply for up to 15 overnight parking exemptions (not valid during a snow event).

With this project, paid parking spots would be indicated with painted lines on the streets where there are legal parking spaces, as shown on the map or described in the proposed parking section. Paid parking would be available for purchase up to 3 hours at a time, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Overnight parking would only be available through the City’s overnight parking exemption program (there is no cost for overnight parking exemptions).

Paid on-street parking in Northdale is being proposed not to meet a parking need, but as one option to encourage more sustainable transportation in this area. We hope to provide an incentive for those travelling to the area to consider doing so by alternate means including walking, biking or public transit. Surplus parking revenue from this project would be directed to sustainable transportation initiatives.