‘A terrible idea’: Halifax to raise parking fees, bring paid Saturday parking

Parking fees are on the way up in Halifax.

The municipality’s budget committee approved a 25 per cent increase to parking fees during a meeting on Wednesday. The committee also voted in favour of introducing paid parking on Saturdays in the downtown cores of Halifax and Dartmouth.

“The proposed increase across all days, times and zones is measured and is in line with comparable municipalities,” said Mayor Andy Fillmore. “Past increases of this scale did not reduce demand, which tells us our core areas remain strong and can absorb a reasonable adjustment.”

Fillmore said parking fees in Halifax have not changed since 2023.

“We think it’s a terrible idea and it’s certainly not going to incentivize people in coming downtown,” said Paul MacKinnon, Chief Executive Officer of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission.

“If you’re coming to a Mooseheads Matinee game, that’s an extra $5 to $10 you’re going to be paying (on Saturday), if you’re coming to the farmer’s market on Saturday, that’s an extra $10 as well,” MacKinnon said. “We’re not pleased with any of this.”

MacKinnon said Halifax has considered a parking benefit district for the downtown core, which would see money raised from parking fees revenues reinvested into the areas in which they are raised.

He said that’s an idea that could get his support.

“Nobody likes paid parking,” MacKinnon said. “But parking revenues aren’t a tax, they’re a fee paid by customers of downtown Halifax or Dartmouth or Spring Garden, and so the idea of reinvesting that money helps ease the unpleasantness of paid parking.”

Halifax council has been looking for ways to lower the proposed average tax increase proposed for this year of 11 per cent. The budget will receive final approval in late March.