The strategy highlights that municipal parking should eventually be self-sustaining, relying on users rather than property taxes.
Markham council has approved a comprehensive plan that will change how parking is organized, provided, and managed, including a shift toward paid parking in the city’s most urban and transit-friendly areas.
Started in 2022, this citywide parking strategy aims to replace old site-by-site parking rules with a coordinated, forward-thinking framework. A staff report notes that parking plays a crucial role in city development, affecting travel behavior, development costs, mobility choices, and Markham’s long-term sustainability objectives.
“Continuing with a traditional, isolated approach to parking would reinforce auto dependency and limit the city’s ability to achieve broader planning goals,” the report states.
A key change involves moving from free to paid public parking in the city’s two most developed parking zones. This includes areas like Markham Centre, Langstaff Gateway, the Yonge corridor, and several major transit stations along Highway 7 and the GO rail line.
With minimum parking requirements already removed in these zones, staff mention that new developments are offering fewer spaces. If no action is taken, this might lead to increased pressure on on-street parking and public lots.
Paid parking could be introduced through:
on-street metered parking in high-demand areas
paid public parking within new private developments
public-private partnerships to integrate municipal parking into larger buildings
demand-based pricing adjustments in future phases.
Any specific location would need further feasibility studies and business planning before implementation.
City data reveals that building and maintaining parking has become more expensive over time; however, most drivers don’t pay for it. Meanwhile, spillover parking issues are rising near transit stations and historic districts like Main Street Unionville.
The Cornell Community Centre’s garage has been operating at a loss for over ten years now, with free parking costing the city around $7.9 million since 2012.
The strategy emphasizes that municipal parking must ultimately become financially self-sufficient-funded by users instead of property taxes. Tools such as paid parking options, public-private partnerships, shared spaces, and demand-based pricing could all play a role here.
Revenue generated from paid parking on heritage main streets could be reinvested directly into those areas for streetscape improvements, events organization, and support for local businesses.
Parking availability on Markham’s main streets has been flagged as a significant concern by stakeholders and council members alike. On historic Main Street Unionville and Main Street Markham itself, on-street spaces are highly visible and frequently used-they provide easy access for visitors.
In the Unionville Heritage Area there is off-street parking available in rear lots; however staff indicate these lots are fragmented. They could benefit from being combined into a larger layout which would improve visitor experience overall.
The strategy also provides long-term direction across various topics including:
Land development: Tailored zoning-specific standards for parked vehicles along with opportunities for shared spaces to promote affordable housing support.
Curbside management: Expanding the current on-street system while updating residential overnight permit programs.
Technology & future mobility: Developing smart platforms for managing parked vehicles alongside considerations for electric vehicles as well as connected or autonomous transport modes.
Micromobility: A comprehensive approach towards devices such as e-bikes or scooters throughout the city.
Trails & parks: Improved multimodal access alongside coordinated efforts regarding heavily trafficked recreational spots.
This strategy supports Markham’s climate commitments-aiming at achieving net-zero emissions by 2050-by reducing car dependency while planning sustainable mobility options going forward.
The full report is available online at https://pub-markham. escribemeetings. com/filestream. ashx? Document Id=108421.
Scarlett Liu is a federally funded writer at Markham Economist & Sun
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