Parking meter fees in Windsor going up, enforcement to extend to 7 p.m.

What would longer, more expensive paid parking hours look like for downtown Windsor? CTV Windsor’s Sanjay Maru finds out.

Drivers in Windsor will soon pay more for parking and enforcement hours at street parking meters will be extended under changes approved by city council.

Currently, parking enforcement runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Sundays and holidays.

But in a few months, enforcement will be extended by an hour until 7 p.m.

The hourly parking rate will also increase from $2 to $2.25.

“I know that they get a lot of revenue from the cars that park downtown every single day,” said resident Josie Murphy.

“But it’s a huge deterrent for people wanting to spend time at businesses.”

Flat fees for city-owned parking lots will also increase.

Lots that currently charge a $3 flat fee from 6 p.m. to midnight will increase to $5.

Additionally, a new $5 evening fee will apply to lots that don’t currently have one.

Nominal increases will be seen at municipal parking garages as well.

Rylee Shae, a student who buys a monthly permit for a lot near St. Clair College’s downtown campus, said the increase could make her cancel the permit.

“That’s definitely going to impact if I choose to do that again, because it’s already pretty pricey,” she said.

The Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association (BIA) has long opposed parking meter hikes.

BIA chair Chris MacLeod said while he understands the city’s need for revenue, he believes there’s a fairer solution: Expanding paid parking to areas where it’s currently free.

He points to multiple parking lots near Sandpoint Beach as one example.

“I think that you can spread that out around other parts of the city that unfairly benefit from not having paid parking,” MacLeod said.

City council initially considered extending enforcement to 9 p.m. but settled on 7 p.m. as a compromise.

Not all councillors supported changing the 6 p.m. cutoff time.

“The story’s just going to be that it’s more expensive to go downtown, so I can’t support this,” said Coun. Fred Francis during the Jan. 27 city council meeting.

In a statement, city administration said these increases will help keep the parking program self-sustaining without using tax dollars.

Upon mayoral approval of the 2025 city budget, the changes are expected to take effect in the next three to four months.