Council Approves Downtown Business Association’s Request to Pause Free P and Support Local, Downtown Businesses
*Please see a media release below issued by the City of Burlington.
Burlington, Ont. — Oct. 22, 2020 — Free P, the annual program for free daytime parking in December will be paused at the request of the downtown businesses through the Burlington Downtown Businesses Association (BDBA) and the Downtown Parking Committee. Parking will still be free after 6 p.m. and on weekends and holidays, year-round.As shared at the Oct. 6 City Council meeting, surveys and analysis were completed by the BDBA for the past seven years on the effectiveness of the Free P parking. The majority of downtown businesses have reported that the program is no longer achieving its intended purpose.
"The December Free P! program was a good strategy for its time. It succeeded in keeping our downtown business community top-of-mind for shoppers and diners during the lucrative pre-Christmas season. Now we can stand on our own two feet without the benefit of this program for 2020. There is absolutely a spot for December parkers downtown and we encourage our community to get reacquainted with our unique small business community this holiday season." -- Brian Dean, Executive Director, Burlington Downtown Business Association
By pausing the program, anyone parking in the downtown during the weekday will have a three-hour maximum parking limit, which will encourage people to move their vehicle and free up that spot for another paying customer or tourist.
"Ward 2 residents and businesses shared their feedback on the Free P! program and we listened. Burlington’s downtown will continue to provide visitors with access to our vibrant downtown shopping and dining experiences. The holidays are a great time to rediscover downtown Burlington and all that the local shops, restaurants and businesses have to offer." -- Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns, City of Burlington
Downtown Parking ImprovementsHonkMobileResidents and visitors can use the HonkMobile app to search, pay for, and top-up parking payments directly from their smartphone, tablet or computer.The HonkMobile app can be downloaded from the App Store or the Google Play store using any internet connected device. Users are required to sign up for an account and pay a transaction fee of $0.35 for each payment.Users can request a notification from the app for when their time is about to expire.Updated Parking Machines – Pay-By-PlateThe pay-by-plate machines offer users a variety of advantages, including the ability to:
- Pay by coin ($2, $1, $0.25), credit or online;
- Park at various locations throughout the downtown when there is remaining paid time on a ticket;
- Add time to parking purchases remotely using the HonkMobile app ($0.35 transaction fee applies);
- Choose the option of a printed receipt. Every payment is linked with a license plate number - dashboard tickets are not required;
- Renew monthly parking permits in-person or by phone at 905-335-7600.
For more information about parking downtown, visit burlington.ca/parking.MAYOR MEED WARD'S TAKE:Since introducing the December Free P! program several years ago, we’ve seen an increase in parking demand and desire to manage supply and revenues. We’ve also seen abuses of the program that take away parking from the customers it’s intended to serve. There have been many positive changes to downtown parking with mobile payment and our real-time parking availability signs that help visitors know where there is parking and make paying for it easy.Council listened to the voices of the business community and Downtown Parking Committee to end free parking for December, and reinstate weekday paid parking year-round. Our businesses know their clients and customers, and this is what they have told us they need. Residents can still take advantage free parking on weekends, holidays and after 6 p.m.Links and Resources:
--*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor's Media and Digital Communications Specialist