Westboro, Wellington West Get Paid On-Street Parking

Ottawa is home to many vibrant destination areas, with popular restaurants, pubs, and unique shops and boutiques.

When people visit these areas, they will often see the streets already lined with parked cars and no available spots in sight. Finding parking then becomes a frustrating and daunting task that can make people reconsider their visit, causing them to miss out on the local businesses and eateries these areas have to offer.

To promote increased parking turnover and to better support local businesses, the City of Ottawa is introducing changes to paid on-street parking in select neighbourhoods. These changes are part of a broader effort to improve access to and better manage parking in high demand areas.

What is changing in Kitchissippi ward? 

Following the Kitchissippi Parking Study Update, which was approved by Council in July 2024, paid on-street parking is being introduced in Westboro and Wellington West neighbourhoods.

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This is a release from the City of Ottawa:

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Residents can expect to see Pay & Display machines being installed in August 2025, before being activated in early September 2025. New parking signage will also be posted to extend time limits and to help drivers understand when and where paid on-street parking is in effect.

These changes were based on occupancy data collected during the 2023 Kitchissippi Parking Study, which showed consistent high demand, particularly during daytime and weekends. Start times, time limits, and weekend hours were designed to reflect the area’s local business hours, activity patterns and accessibility considerations.

Parking rates will align with the Municipal Parking Management Strategy and the demand-based pricing model.

What is changing in other neighbourhoods? 

The City of Ottawa is also updating evening and weekend paid on-street parking in several other high-demand areas. These updates are aimed at improving access and consistency across the city. Key changes include:

• Harmonized start times for paid on-street parking in commercial areas (8:30 am on weekdays and 10 am on Saturdays)

• Paid on-street parking hours will be extended from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on weekdays where peak demand is high (when occupancy reaches or exceeds 80 per cent capacity)

• Daytime paid on-street parking will be implemented on Saturday from 10 am to either 5:30 pm or 7:30 pm if peak demand is high

• When capacity reaches or drops below 50 per cent, the removal of paid on-street parking will be considered

The changes to on-street parking will affect the following areas:

• Little Italy South:
  • Paid on-street parking extended from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on weekday evenings
  • Paid on-street parking added on Saturdays from 10 am to 7:30 pm
• ByWard Market and surrounding areas:
  • Paid on-street parking added for weekday evenings and Saturdays from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
• Glebe South:
  • Paid on-street parking hours will be extended from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on weekday evenings where peak demand is high
• Downtown (north of Nepean Street):
  • Paid on-street parking added until 5:30 pm on Saturdays
• Vanier and Rideau Streets:
  • Paid on-street parking removed on Saturdays

Why are these changes happening?

These changes are data-driven, based on parking occupancy data, and are designed to better support local businesses by improving the availability of parking in neighbourhoods at the busiest times.

By encouraging turnover of parking spaces, paid on-street parking increases your chances of finding a spot near your destination, especially during peak times. This also boosts foot traffic to businesses and encourages economic activity, while reducing frustration and traffic caused by drivers searching for parking.

These updated measures advance the goals of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy (MPMS) by applying consistent criteria to improve short-term parking availability in support of businesses, institutions, and tourism, while also harmonizing parking hours citywide to create a more consistent and positive experience for residents and visitors alike.

What comes next?

Revenues from the parking fees will be re-invested back into the Municipal Parking Management Program. Parking fee revenues help to cover operational and lifecycle costs related to the program. This includes initiatives that promote sustainable modes of transportation, such as the EV charging network and bike parking as well as significant transfers to other groups within the City of Ottawa in support of road and sidewalk maintenance as well as Park & Ride maintenance.

Moving forward, the City of Ottawa’s Parking Services’ group will continue monitoring on-street parking needs and demand. Paid on-street parking will only continue during evenings or weekends where demand remains high and should data show a drop in usage, parking hours may be scaled back based on new criteria.

Parking Services will report back to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee in the second quarter of 2027 on the effectiveness of these new measures. At that time, they will propose any additional changes they believe may be required.

For more information about on-street parking, please visit ottawa.ca/parking.

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