Less Free Parking for Transit Commuters in Southern Ontario

"Metrolinx is pursuing a massive shift to paid parking at its GO commuter rail stations, internal documents show, with plans for the 'forced conversion' of tens of thousands of free spots over the next few years," reports Oliver Moore.

According to the internal documents, the change could take place as soon as the next few months. Roughly 65,00o users of the GO regional transit system drive to stations. "The vast majority of these passengers now park free and Metrolinx, the regional transit agency that operates GO in Southern Ontario, is bracing for pushback," according to Moore.

Moore provides a lot more detail about the thought process of the system's planners preparing for the move—like providing new forms of access to stations and dealing with fallout from residents living near stations (who will likely object to people parking on adjacent streets to avoid paying for parking). One of the goals of the parking modernization plan, according to Moore, is to free up parking spaces so more midday riders can use the system.