Downtown business groups wary of Winnipeg's new parking strategy

Cameron MacLean · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 06, 2025 7:27 PM EST | Last Updated: November 7

Some Winnipeg concern groups pass parts of a caller parking strategy, which aims to modernize however the metropolis manages its curb space, hazard moving against the strategy's intended goals. 

Leaders of some the Exchange District Business Improvement Zone and the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ told the nationalist works committee connected Thursday they’re relieved to yet spot a broad parking strategy.

But they reason immoderate caller decisions, and the anticipation of expanded paid parking hours, could marque beingness harder for downtown businesses.

Exchange District BIZ enforcement manager David Pensato said he’s disappointed the metropolis launched a aviator task that changed parking rules successful October without consulting the organization, which represents astir 500 businesses successful the area.

That aviator extended the clip bounds forpaid on-street parking from 2 hours to 3 successful parts of the Exchange District.

The pilot, which covers respective blocks adjacent Red River College Polytechnic and the Centennial Concert Hall, is meant to marque it easier for students and arts patrons to enactment successful the country longer.

But Pensato said that "defeats the intent of on-street … paid parking, which is to promote turnover and to not person employees taking up the spots each time long," helium said.

He besides warned councillors astir vague connection successful the strategy that suggests the metropolis could yet widen paid parking into the evening hours — an thought helium says cardinal Winnipeg businesses person agelong opposed.

"When we were asked astir that backmost successful 2017 and 2018, our subordinate businesses were wide they would revolt until specified clip arsenic [paid] parking was added to different fashionable commercialized destinations," Pensato said. 

"They could spot the logic successful it astatine immoderate point, but erstwhile we’re competing with areas that don’t person immoderate paid parking, it’s a precise pugnacious pill to swallow."

WATCH | Downtown concern groups acrophobic astir caller parking strategy:

The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ shares that concern. Chief enforcement serviceman Kate Fenske said paid parking is concentrated astir wholly downtown, portion different engaged commercialized districts tin connection escaped parking.

"When we look astatine wherever paid parking is successful our city, it is the bulk of downtown, besides astir hospitals," Fenske said. "That tin beryllium a deterrent sometimes for radical supporting the businesses here."

Fenske and Pensato besides privation to spot a information of parking gross reinvested into the areas wherever it's collected to money improvements specified arsenic tree-planting, sidewalk repairs and thoroughfare furniture.

Coun. Janice Lukes, the seat of the nationalist works committee, said she supports that thought successful principle.

"If you’re going to enactment parking meters connected Corydon [Avenue] oregon if you’re going to enactment them connected Centre Street [in the Bridgwater neighbourhood], successful areas that person ne'er had it before, I deliberation a spot of a carrot-and-stick approach" is needed, she said.

"Maybe a percent of the [parking] gross does spell to improving the areas."

Lukes said she besides expects metropolis unit to consult extensively earlier making immoderate aboriginal changes to parking hours oregon rates.

The parking strategy inactive requires assembly approval.

Staff volition walk the adjacent twelvemonth gathering information from the Exchange District aviator earlier recommending whether longer clip limits, oregon expanded paid hours, marque consciousness elsewhere successful the city.