In 2023 Calgary City Council approved changes to the Residential Parking Permit Program which includes substantial increase of fees for homeowners in single detached homes, and introduced the Market Permit which allows residents of high rise apartments to obtain permits and park within 150m of their buildings for 150$

Up until now, homeowners in Residential Parking Zones (RPZ’s) were given two free permits and could purchase a third for $108 and were also given two free visitor permits. With the changes passed by council, to obtain the same passes will now cost 800$. 

Not only are changes to the program cost prohibitive for many (lower income, seniors, disabled, new families, refugees), but it is also not accessible to many as the permits must be purchased online and visitors must be registered for each visit. 

While developers gain the upper hand by not having to provide as many parking spaces on their developments in an effort to save them money and encourage more developments and density in the city(0.5 stalls per unit, compared to the previous 1 stall per unit. Council approved this change early this year), the city also makes substantially more money off the permit program, the tax paying homeowners are burdened with the BIG COST. 

In signing this petition, we are in strong opposition of the changes to the residential permit program passed through by City of Calgary Council members and require that council reverse these changes.