THUNDER BAY — A Thunder Bay businesswoman says the city's parking plan needs to go back before council to be amended because the metered parking fees and times are detrimental to businesses.
Bianca Garofalo, Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce board chair and owner of Bight Restaurant and Bar, El Tres Restaurant and Giorg Cusina e Barra, called the metered parking from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. "ridiculous" and "excessive" and said if it was increased to 5 p.m. or 6 p.m., it could be more tolerable.
"It encourages bad behaviour, like taking your car when you've had drinks, (instead of leaving it overnight and getting ticketed at 7 a.m.)" she said. "It also discourages people from going out. If you go downtown, it is a ghost town right now."
In the south core, Steve Vares, owner of Tilted Turret Pinball Pub, says his business also depends on a night crowd. The ample parking along Miles Street is now metered.
He explained that he worked at his establishment last Saturday from 11 a.m. until midnight.
"I had to pay $21 to park outside of my own restaurant," he said. "My staff are also having to pay to park to come to work when they didn't have to before and they're looking to me saying, 'Hey, Steve, can you reimburse us for this?' It's not just the customers and the patrons who are being turned off by this."
Thunder Bay city council is aware of the concerns.
Coun. Brian Hamilton, who is also the owner and operator of the Bean Fiend Cafe, told The Chronicle-Journal that since the parking plan's initiation this past June, there is a prescribed 16-month monitoring period of the initiative and it is likely that city council will want to discuss the situation ahead of that period.
"A parking system is intended to support downtown businesses by keeping traffic flowing," Hamilton said. "Turnover of vehicles is critical to keep the engine of commerce humming."
He added, "Outside of direct consultation there is likely no way to truly quantify the effects of the new parking policy on businesses."
Complaints of absent or poor signage for parking instructions at the marina are also being heard, especially from tourists. Hamilton says the plan is still evolving and additional signage is being contemplated while some is in production.
Jonathan Paske, supervisor of the city's parking authority, reminds people that city council has approved several amendments to the plan up until this past August, which city administration is implementing.
"We have limited data since enforcement activities only began mid-August," Paske said. "Administration will monitor and report back to council in 2026 with an update on the plan."
He said over the summer, the city's Municipal Parking Services heard concerns from businesses and held a feedback session.
"The plan was amended to help address these concerns including reducing the minimum payment, introducing 15-minute increments, and increasing security at the parkades, with more safety and security enhancements planned," he said.
Paske explained that paid parking is used to help manage parking and help reduce congestion.
"This is done by relocating long-term parkers, residents, and those seeking free parking to more appropriate locations such as the parkades," he said. "That helps to reserve on-street spaces for customers and visitors of the businesses."
The Chronicle-Journal / Local Journalism Initiative
