The City of Saskatoon is planning to remove all but one of the 14 parking pay stations in the Sutherland Business Improvement District as it steers drivers toward paying through a smartphone app. According to a report from city administration, the one-year pilot project will help determine whether the city should move to a digital-only option as paid parking expands or as stations reach the end of their lifespan, which administration said is typically every 10 to 15 years. Matt Grazier, the city’s director of community standards, spoke about the pilot project at a city committee meeting Tuesday. Grazier says a city-wide shift to digital-only payment is not part of the city’s near-term plans because most parking stations have already been upgraded, except for those in Sutherland. “Those machines would have had to come out anyway,” he said. “If, for whatever reason, this project didn’t go well or we didn’t get favorable results, we would just upgrade the machines accordingly.” The lone remaining parking station will stay on Central Avenue between 109th and 110th streets west, which Grazier said is the most-used location in the area. Coun. Kathryn Macdonald asked about a possible grace period for tickets when the program begins. “We certainly recognize that there would be certain enforcement practices that we’d have to slightly modify in order to accommodate this,” Grazier responded. A city administration report showed about 52 per cent of parking transactions were made through the app, while 48 per cent were made at pay stations, including 33 per cent by card and 15 per cent by coin. The report noted increased app use reduces maintenance and repair costs, along with the cost of buying and replacing pay stations. Winnipeg and Edmonton moved toward digital-only parking payment last year, while Regina made the switch in March. While the city sees benefits in the pilot, some residents and organizations remain concerned. Before heading out for lunch in the Sutherland neighbourhood, Bill Nicholson used a pay station to pay for parking, saying he had intentionally left his phone behind. “We’re going to have lunch and I don’t want to be interrupted, so why would I carry a phone,” Nicholson said. “I know a lot of people don’t do any currency that way.” It is a concern shared by others. In a statement, the Saskatoon Council on Aging said it supports efforts to modernize city services, but wants to make sure older adults are not left behind. “A shift to digital-only payment could create barriers for seniors who may not have smartphones, data plans, or comfort using app-based technology,” the statement read. Brenda Southam, executive director of the Sutherland Business Improvement District, said the pilot is a chance to see whether the system works. “We know that for some people, it’s going to be a little bit more difficult. We’re hoping that we can figure out all those things and make it work better for the community and for the businesses,” Southam said. Jayne Walters, executive director of the Broadway Business Improvement District, said it is important to meet the needs of a growing and modern Saskatoon while also ensuring parking remains accessible to everyone. “It’s critical to have multiple payment options, including coins, to remain inclusive to everyone accessing parking,” Walters said. Randy Pshebylo, executive director of Riversdale Business Improvement District, said the organization supports efforts to improve parking turnover and traffic flow in business districts. “The Riversdale BID board is supportive of any means to gain more compliance and ease to the district with regards to free flow,” Pshebylo said. According to city administration, the next steps are to bring the bylaw changes to council in August, remove the stations if approved, and review the pilot project at the end of next year to decide whether it should end, continue or become permanent.
