Drivers in Halifax will now have to pay more for parking as new on-street parking rates and regulations took effect on Wednesday. Under the new changes, weekday on-street parking rates have jumped by 25 per cent (with prices rounded to the nearest $0.25). Additionally, commuters who utilize monthly parking permits will see their fees rise by $20.
These adjustments were officially approved by the regional council on June 23 as part of ongoing efforts to manage the city’s growing parking demands.
Paid Saturday Parking Starts This Week
In addition to the weekday price hikes, paid on-street parking is being introduced on Saturdays in both downtown Halifax and downtown Dartmouth starting this week. To accommodate visitors, the first hour of Saturday parking will remain free of charge, with subsequent hours billed at a rate of $2 per hour.
Drivers will be able to pay for their parking sessions using physical pay stations or digitally through the HotSpot mobile app. The move to establish paid Saturday parking was unanimously voted in by the Halifax council during municipal budget deliberations earlier in March.
According to a release from the municipality, these combined changes are aimed at encouraging a higher turnover of prime street-level parking spaces, making short-term parking more accessible to visitors in busy commercial sectors. Detailed maps of the designated Saturday paid parking zones have been made available on the city’s website.
