Canada/Edmonton looks for ways to help motorists pay for parking
The City of Edmonton is continuing with its plan to remove all ePark machines by the end of July and replace them with a mobile phone-only parking payment system. However, ways will have to be found to make this transition easier for users, and to come up with a payment solution for those who don't have a smartphone.
With this in mind, Dene ward councillor Aaron Paquette put forward a motion on Tuesday to slow down the parking meter removal process and look at ways to accommodate motorists who prefer to pay cash for parking.
I get a lot of calls from seniors in my ward or people who don't have smartphones wondering how this is going to work for them.
A quote from Aaron Paquette, City Councillor, City of Edmonton
Removal of machines begins
The City announced in March that all ePark machines would be removed from the streets in stages starting in April.
Its contract with the supplier ends this year, and the parking payment machines are no longer compliant with the City's credit card processing technology, as they only authorize magnetic stripe transactions, not chip and PIN.
Replacing all parking meters would cost over $2.8 million.
The city council therefore decided, in autumn 2024, to get rid of them and switch to a mobile phone-only parking payment system.
Once the ePark machines have disappeared from the landscape, motorists will have to pay for parking by scanning a QR code with a smartphone, using the HotSpot Parking app or website, or their phone, if the user has an existing HotSpot account.
A few questions
Sipiwiyiniwak Ward Councillor Sarah Hamilton said at Tuesday's meeting that she'd also heard from concerned seniors.
She was also alarmed to learn that 60% of all public parking transactions are currently done through ePark machines, which accept cash and credit cards.
The question I have is: if this large group of people still hasn't switched over to the app, what's been holding them back since we've had the ePark app for nearly 10 years?
A quote from Sarah Hamilton, City Councillor, City of Edmonton
City officials responded that use of the app continues to grow, but that the City expects people to change once this option no longer exists.
Michaela Gatto says she paid for her parking on Wednesday morning using an ePark machine in Old Strathcona: "I think it's easier.
Solutions to be found
Another motorist, Mark Wilson, says he paid for his parking using the QR code option.
He says he understands why the city wants to do away with the old parking meters, but he's concerned about people who don't have smartphones.
For the majority of people, this will work, but we're limiting a percentage of the population who don't have access to this technology.
A quote from Mark Wilson, motorist
City Councillor Aaron Paquette points out that at the end of the transition period, the City will have better data on app adoption and where people are still struggling to pay for parking.
Once we understand where the need is, we'll probably be able to respond appropriately with other options," he said in an interview on Wednesday.
In the meantime, people who still prefer to pay by cash can do so in certain private parking lots.
Source: ici.radio-canada.ca/
