Falls hits drivers with higher parking fines, rates

City is looking for ways to generate more revenue as the demand for parking spots dwindles

Motorists should be aware of rising parking costs in Niagara Falls, as the city looks for ways to generate additional revenues to offset budget pressures.

During a recent meeting, city council approved removing tiered parking fines in downtown and the Main and Ferry areas.

The average parking ticket is $25 for an expired meter, but in these areas, council implemented in 2013 a lowered fine of $15. During Tuesday’s meeting, council eliminated that lowered fine to implement a citywide fine structure.

It also supported a 10 per cent increase in parking fines. Council approved the increase in 2021 with an implementation in 2022 due to COVID-19 and was to revisit the idea every two years.

Parking permit fees will also increase by 10 per cent. Staff said parking permits have been static since 2017. There has been a drop in the number of permits sold due to more people working at home.

Council also approved increasing summer flat rate for parking, $15 to $20 a day, from $10 to match competitor pricing.

As well, it approved additional onstreet parking on Fallsview Boulevard fronting casino shops during the off-season and extending onstreet parking on Victoria Avenue from Labour Day to May 24 (currently Thanksgiving to May 24 only).

Staff recently presented council with the 2023 parking budget that showed expenses and revenues at $1.4 million each.

In 2022, the budget was not selfsustaining and required a $421,000 (0.5 per cent) transfer from the tax levy through special-purpose reserves to balance.

This year, the budget is still not self-sustaining, however it’s improved, requiring about a $237,400 (0.3 per cent) transfer from the tax levy.

This reduces the tax-levy requirement by about $183,600.

Staff presented council with options to increase revenues by about $126,800 annually, however, anticipating some of the options will take time to get started, staff included about 60 per cent of some estimates, or $80,900, in its savings estimate.

Council approved the recommendations, which further reduces the amount required from the levy from $237,400 to $156,500 (0.2 per cent).

This is “good news” and helps bring the parking budget closer to being self-sustaining again, said Tiffany Clark, the city’s director of finance.

She said pressures come from increased work-at-home arrangements due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in online business.

“We’re estimating that (parking) demand overall to be about 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels,” said Clark.

She said the city has seen a reduction in parking spaces, caused by things such as construction of the Exchange culture hub and farmer’s market “blocking some of our parking spots” and the loss of a lot on Park Street and Crysler Avenue for social housing.

Clark said there are some revenue-generating opportunities near the new 5,000-seat entertainment centre and with a new lot on Kitchener Street near the hospital.

“The parking strategic plan is going to help us guide future rate setting and advise on our rates that are going to be required to help meet our capital needs, as well as financial sustainability, so we can, hopefully, bring the parking budget back into a surplus position, where it belongs.”

She said the city is also doing a downtown parking study to review current and future demands hoping to optimize our parking rates in that area” and will explore parking-revenue opportunities for large events once the Exchange opens.