Finding a parking spot in Halifax can be a difficult and time-consuming process.
“It can be frustrating for sure,” said motorist Cindy Daniel. “I do like how they've implemented the HotSpot app for the parking meters. I think that's a good thing but parking is certainly a challenge.”
Some say there simply aren't enough spaces for the number of vehicles in the city.
“I think it needs to be looked at. We definitely need more parking areas on the street,” said Judith Cabrita.
Dennis Walker thinks the downtown area is “terrible.”
“You have to search around downtown for maybe five, 10 minutes before you find a spot to go to, so it's a challenge,” he said.
In many areas of downtown Halifax there are parking spaces available by permit, but for Imelda O'Toole, even having a permit doesn't guarantee a spot in north-end Halifax.
“Sometimes, I come back in the day and I have a permit, but I can't find a spot on my street,” says O'Toole.
In an effort to improve street residential parking, Halifax has updated its bylaw.
Starting Monday, permit parking on the peninsula is now split into zones.
The goal is to better accommodate residents who will now have more options to park.
“Historically, residents were restricted to the street on which they resided so you could only receive a permit for where you lived,” said Victoria Horne, Parking Services Program Manager for Halifax Regional Municipality. “Now what has happened is that you have a particular neighbourhood or zone and you can park anywhere in that zone.”
Specialized permits for people providing services are also now available.
“So, the Victorian Order of Nurses, for example, they can receive a special pass to the residence they provide services to so that they don't have to worry about receiving a ticket when they're on call,” Horne said.
Another change with the bylaw relates to car-sharing.
A special permit can now be purchased allowing car-share vehicles to park in designated spaces around the municipality.
It's something that's been happening in other cities for some time.
“It's going to make it easier to get to and from downtown as a CarShare member and, for people in general, it just sort of adds an extra option for getting around whether you work or live downtown,” said Tim Callanan of CarShare Atlantic.
The new changes all align with the integrated mobility plan which emphasizes active transportation while balancing parking in the municipality.
The municipality says there are no changes to monthly parking permits and that all existing and valid permits will remain effective until they expire,
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Natasha Pace.
