The City of Calgary delays the heavily criticized Residential Parking Permit program

A program that got plenty of complaints is now delayed as the City of Calgary announced the Residential Parking Permit program will be postponed.

The program was going to come into effect on August 1 but now it won’t be implemented until close to the end of the year.

In an update sent to Daily Hive, the City explained the decision.

“On the Tuesday, July 4 regular meeting of Council, Administration was asked to postpone implementation of the Residential Parking Permit (RPP) Program user fees until Monday, December 4. As a result, parking permits expiring before Monday, February 5, 2024, will be automatically extended till then,” the City said.

“Permit holders do not have to take any action at this time. Starting Monday, December 4, residents can renew expiring permits or apply for and purchase a parking permit at the Council-approved fee structure. Current permit holders will directly be informed of these changes.”

Earlier this year a group of Calgarians called the program “discriminatory” and started a petition that received over 15,000 signatures.

The organizer of the petition argues that the changes will be “cost prohibitive for many lower-income” Calgarians, but will also be difficult to sign up with permits available online and registration required for each visit.

The City says the RPP Program is a service offered to residents in certain busy residential areas where parking is at a premium that makes sure people who live in those areas can still have parking privileges.

The City implements residential parking restrictions by resident request once 80% of a block supports the restriction.

Once parking restrictions are established, residents can choose to apply for parking permits if they would like to park on-street.