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Winnipeg Free Press

City to remove parking pay stations, cash no longer an option

Drivers will no longer be able to use cash to immediately pay for parking along streets and in city-operated lots after this summer. The City of Winnipeg said Wednesday it will remove its parking pay stations between July 2 and Aug. 31. Drivers will have to use their phone to pay, either through an app or by calling 1-888-680-7275, or a computer. The PayByPhone service accepts debit and credit card payments. The only remaining option to pay with cash will be buying prepaid parking booklets. Drivers can also use debit or credit cards to purchase the booklets at the Parking Store at 495 Portage Ave. They will also be sold at 311 counters at 510 Main St. and 170 Goulet St. starting July 2. KEN GIGLIOTTI / FREE PRESS FILES The city will remove its parking pay stations between July 2 and Aug. 31. Pay stations in private lots are not affected by the change, and pay stations in the Millennium Library parkade will remain. The city said in a news release that mobile service providers are phasing out 3G networks across Canada, which will make the pay stations inoperable. 'The pay stations have also reached the end of their useful life, use outdated technology, and attract theft and vandalism. The cost to replace the pay stations is $3.6 million,' the release said. The city will save about $1 million in annual operating costs by not replacing the stations. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. 'This is about meeting people where they are,' Mayor Scott Gillingham said in another news release. 'Most drivers are already using their phones to pay for parking. We're building on that shift and making smart financial decisions that reflect how people interact with city services today. The millions we'll save can be redirected to other city priorities.' More than 80 per cent of all paid parking transactions are made through PayByPhone, the release said, and another 10 per cent are made by credit card. More signs about PayByPhone will be installed as the pay stations are removed, the city said. fpcity@