Hold the line on downtown parking rates, business leaders tell city

Business leaders are calling on the City of Charlottetown to keep its freeze on parking rates to encourage people to return to the downtown.

Parking was front and centre as the city hosted a virtual town hall Thursday night. The city was looking for suggestions for its 2022-2023 operating budget, which will be made public March 31.

Robert Godfrey, CEO of the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce, saidthe city needs to be focusing on bringing people back into the downtown core and a parking rate increase could be seen as a deterrent.

"We believe that is very important as we move forward in a period of transition, and as we try and build back the business that we kind of lost," Godfrey told elected officials and city staff.

"Businesses have experienced, as you know, two years of COVID-19 and we all know what that entails. So we're suggesting that the freezing of parking rates remain for this year so we can get people back into our downtown core."

'Come to the other side of the pandemic'

The city was set to increase parking rates in October 2020.

The meter rates were supposed to increase from $1.50 an hour to $2 and parkade rates from $8.75 a day to $12.25 but those plans were shelved after an outcry from downtown businesses, who were already hit hard by the pandemic.

Dawn Alan, executive director of Downtown Charlottetown Inc., echoed the chamber's call for a freeze on parking rates"until we have come to the other side of the pandemic and businesses are on a better footing."

Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown said the business leader's requests, including the freezing of parking rates, will be considered. He said he recognizes businesses are still struggling with the impacts of the pandemic.

"The legislation under the Municipal Government Act does not allow municipalities to project a deficit so we have to balance our revenues and expenditures," Brown said in an interview with CBC News following the virtual meeting.

'The door is open'

During his presentation, Godfrey called on the city to freeze the commercial property tax rate this year.

Business leaders remain concerned aboutthe economic development officerposition, which has been vacant since July 2020, and are looking for the city to hire more staff to ensure building permits are getting processed as quickly as possible.

Downtown Charlottetown Inc. would also like to see a police officer on foot in the downtown core.

A handful of residents had signed up to make presentations, but none took part in the virtual meeting Thursday night.

City officials will review all the recommendations they receive as they prepare the budget, said Brown.

"The public consultation is part of that process to gather information," he said, adding residents can still reach out to city hall or city councillors with suggestions.

"The door is open, we encourage residents, citizens, to make suggestions on how we can make our city a better place to work, live and play."