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Niagara Falls
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Council considering monthly parking passes via Honk mobile

Council has approved a plan pursue the creation of daily, weekly and monthly parking passes through Honk Mobile.

Approved in a close vote, some councillors viewed the move as an excuse to charge residents more money.

The plan was passed with the intent of creating a year-long pilot project to see how the passes are received by people.

“I do not agree with this,” Coun. Wendy Cheropita said.

“We do not have a parking problem. Cities like Toronto, where they don’t have enough space and people don’t have driveways, those places have parking problems. This is just a tax grab.”

Coun. Allan Bisback defended the idea.

“I can support this because we’re asking for a report to come forward before making an actual decision,” he told council.

The debate was in response to residents in areas such as Niagara on the Green claiming the bylaw limiting street parking to 12-hour windows has been challenging and unfair.

Councillors nearly repealed that bylaw at a council meeting in May. It was defeated by a tie vote.

The Honk mobile parking permits would override the town bylaw, meaning that anyone with a permit can leave their car parked in the same area until the permit expires.

A report on the permits will be brought to council in the future.

Couns. Gary Burroughs, Sandra O’Connor, Erwin Wiens and Cheropita voted against the proposal.

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