Parking Strategy


About the Project

The City of Charlottetown is developing a Parking Strategy to better understand how well parking is meeting the needs of businesses, institutions, residents and visitors and how it can be more effectively and sustainably managed. The Parking Strategy will collect data on existing parking supply, demand and utilization in the downtown to determine if there is sufficient parking and what areas may require more. The plan will examine a broad range of issues associated with parking in neighbourhoods throughout the city. Engagement with residents and key stakeholders will be key to understanding what issues currently exist and how they might be addressed.


Issues to be Addressed in the Parking Strategy

Curbside Management – In downtown areas, many needs compete for curbside space with parking including loading zones, transit stops, bike lanes and sidewalk patios. Priorities will be set to ensure all of these needs can be accommodated effectively. Directing more of the parking demand to off-street locations (such as parkades) can help to accommodate other curbside uses.

Accessible Parking – Residents and visitors with mobility challenges require parking spaces to be allocated to them and designed to meet their needs. The strategy will explore whether sufficient space has been allocated for this purpose and whether the design of the space is safe and effective.

Parking Enforcement – Time-limit controls are typically applied to on-street parking in downtowns and in residential areas with heavy outside demand to prevent all-day parking and encourage higher turnover of space. If enforcement is not strong, fines are too low, or controls are not well designed, misuse can occur.

Parking in Residential Areas – Residential areas near downtowns or large business or institutional campuses may see infiltration of parkers looking to avoid paying for parking or not finding space on-site. Residential streets saturated with parking can impact the residents who live on them and control measures may need to be implemented.

Parking Minimums for Development – Traditionally, commercial and residential developments have been required by bylaw to include a certain number of parking spaces in their project. This requirement can hamper incentives to build more residential units in downtowns, particularly when downtown residents typically have a reduced need to own a vehicle.

Replacing Single-Space Parking Meters – Consideration is being given to replacing the single-space parking meters currently used in the downtown with more efficient, multi-space pay stations. These pay stations are similar to what the HotSpot app does – the parker enters their license plate number into the machine, chooses how long they wish to park and pays with cash or a credit/debit card. These machines are less susceptible to vandalism and meter feeding and will reduce street clutter.

Winter Street Plowing – The efficiency in which streets are cleared can have a significant impact on availability of on-street parking. Overnight parking bans during the winter help to ensure that streets are clear when plowing is required but can be overly restrictive during periods when plowing is not required.


Project Timeline

Following engagement sessions and activities with the public and stakeholders, a "What We Heard Report" was created. Key findings from this report are noted below - this input will now be incorporated into a draft final strategy, which will be presented to City Council for approval this fall.

Key Findings from Public and Stakeholder Engagement

  1. Many respondents feel there is a lack of convenient parking in the downtown, especially during peak times and in high-traffic areas such as the waterfront, Queen Street, and in the vicinity of Victoria Row. This perception exists despite data suggesting that some nearby parking options often have available capacity.
  2. Stakeholders frequently mentioned the need for more affordable, long-term parking options (e.g., monthly permits for downtown employees) to help alleviate the demand for on-street parking spaces, which can better serve short-term parking for visitors and customers.
  3. Participants noted room for improvement in how parking availability, locations, and restrictions are communicated. There is support for improved wayfinding, better signage, and the adoption of smart parking management technologies.
  4. Many respondents emphasized the importance of balancing parking within the broader transportation system. Suggestions included improving transit, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure as a way to reduce the demand for parking.
  5. Many comments were received surrounding parking enforcement. Some stakeholders support higher pricing and stronger enforcement as a way to encourage parking turnover and generate revenue for future parking infrastructure upgrades, while others fear that it could deter visitors and harm downtown businesses.


About the Project

The City of Charlottetown is developing a Parking Strategy to better understand how well parking is meeting the needs of businesses, institutions, residents and visitors and how it can be more effectively and sustainably managed. The Parking Strategy will collect data on existing parking supply, demand and utilization in the downtown to determine if there is sufficient parking and what areas may require more. The plan will examine a broad range of issues associated with parking in neighbourhoods throughout the city. Engagement with residents and key stakeholders will be key to understanding what issues currently exist and how they might be addressed.


Issues to be Addressed in the Parking Strategy

Curbside Management – In downtown areas, many needs compete for curbside space with parking including loading zones, transit stops, bike lanes and sidewalk patios. Priorities will be set to ensure all of these needs can be accommodated effectively. Directing more of the parking demand to off-street locations (such as parkades) can help to accommodate other curbside uses.

Accessible Parking – Residents and visitors with mobility challenges require parking spaces to be allocated to them and designed to meet their needs. The strategy will explore whether sufficient space has been allocated for this purpose and whether the design of the space is safe and effective.

Parking Enforcement – Time-limit controls are typically applied to on-street parking in downtowns and in residential areas with heavy outside demand to prevent all-day parking and encourage higher turnover of space. If enforcement is not strong, fines are too low, or controls are not well designed, misuse can occur.

Parking in Residential Areas – Residential areas near downtowns or large business or institutional campuses may see infiltration of parkers looking to avoid paying for parking or not finding space on-site. Residential streets saturated with parking can impact the residents who live on them and control measures may need to be implemented.

Parking Minimums for Development – Traditionally, commercial and residential developments have been required by bylaw to include a certain number of parking spaces in their project. This requirement can hamper incentives to build more residential units in downtowns, particularly when downtown residents typically have a reduced need to own a vehicle.

Replacing Single-Space Parking Meters – Consideration is being given to replacing the single-space parking meters currently used in the downtown with more efficient, multi-space pay stations. These pay stations are similar to what the HotSpot app does – the parker enters their license plate number into the machine, chooses how long they wish to park and pays with cash or a credit/debit card. These machines are less susceptible to vandalism and meter feeding and will reduce street clutter.

Winter Street Plowing – The efficiency in which streets are cleared can have a significant impact on availability of on-street parking. Overnight parking bans during the winter help to ensure that streets are clear when plowing is required but can be overly restrictive during periods when plowing is not required.


Project Timeline

Following engagement sessions and activities with the public and stakeholders, a "What We Heard Report" was created. Key findings from this report are noted below - this input will now be incorporated into a draft final strategy, which will be presented to City Council for approval this fall.

Key Findings from Public and Stakeholder Engagement

  1. Many respondents feel there is a lack of convenient parking in the downtown, especially during peak times and in high-traffic areas such as the waterfront, Queen Street, and in the vicinity of Victoria Row. This perception exists despite data suggesting that some nearby parking options often have available capacity.
  2. Stakeholders frequently mentioned the need for more affordable, long-term parking options (e.g., monthly permits for downtown employees) to help alleviate the demand for on-street parking spaces, which can better serve short-term parking for visitors and customers.
  3. Participants noted room for improvement in how parking availability, locations, and restrictions are communicated. There is support for improved wayfinding, better signage, and the adoption of smart parking management technologies.
  4. Many respondents emphasized the importance of balancing parking within the broader transportation system. Suggestions included improving transit, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure as a way to reduce the demand for parking.
  5. Many comments were received surrounding parking enforcement. Some stakeholders support higher pricing and stronger enforcement as a way to encourage parking turnover and generate revenue for future parking infrastructure upgrades, while others fear that it could deter visitors and harm downtown businesses.
  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Parking Strategy Feedback

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Charlottetown Parking Strategy Survey

    The City of Charlottetown and its consultants want to hear your thoughts on parking in Charlottetown to help shape their parking strategy. This survey will close on April 19. Your input is greatly appreciated!

Page last updated: 03 Nov 2025, 10:17 AM