University of Regina students push back on paid parking change

U of R students are voicing frustration after Lot 6 was changed to paid parking, sparking an online petition to change it back. Jacob Carr has more.

The University of Regina is facing renewed pushback from students over changes made to a centrally located parking lot on campus.

In May 2025, the university converted Lot 6 located outside the Kinesiology and Health Studies building — from an M-pass holder lot to paid public parking. The decision has been unpopular with many students, leading to a petition launched in September by University of Regina biology student Matthew Markewich. The petition has since received more than 400 signatures.

“I’m actually really surprised. I knew people felt the same way,” Markewich said. “It’s obviously very cold here, and that extra three minutes of walking outside makes a huge difference. Especially when you can’t afford a jacket.”

Fourth-year business student Grace Degagne expressed her frustration saying this adds to the financial strain, even for those who already pay for an annual parking pass.

“I think it’s just really disappointing that we pay so much money in parking, and we’ve had this parking lot for so long that it got taken away,” Degagne said. “Having to walk that far when we’re paying so much in parking already. I pay $450 for both semesters, it’s frustrating.”

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In a statement to CTV News, the University of Regina said the changes were made with the campus community in mind and to better meet the needs of students and visitors. The university said 150 M-stalls were converted to public parking, and to offset the change, new M-stalls were added in three locations: 74 stalls in Lot 10, 30 in Lot 1 and 29 in Lot 13.

Despite holding an M-pass, Degagne said she has had to park and pay in Lot 6 during recent cold weather so she can be closer to her vehicle between classes.

“The people who made this rule, it might not seem like a big deal to them, but for us it takes a toll on how our scheduling happens every day,” she said.

Markewich said he hopes to bring the issue to the newly formed University of Regina Students’ Association in the near future.

“I hope to talk to them soon to get it on their radar,” he said. “Best-case scenario, they change it back to an M lot — although I don’t know [if they will] with the money they’re rolling in with the public parking.”