Eric LillowParking fees at the University of Alberta are set to increase on April Fool’s Day, but it’s not a joke.
On April 1, 2017 visitor parking rates will increase by 9.2 per cent since they haven’t increased since 2010-11, operations director Geoff Rode of Ancillary Services, said. Monthly and annual parking passes will increase by 1.4 percent, the Consumer Price Index (inflation) for this year, if approved by the university’s Board of Governors on December 16.
This will mean that daily parking rates would rise from $14 in North Campus and Campus Saint-Jean parking lots to $15, and hourly rates would rise from $4 to $4.50.
For those who opt for monthly passes, price increases will vary by lot. For example, Stadium, Education, and Windsor car parks will increase from $116.10 per month to about 117.70 per month. Monthly rates in ETLC, Timms/Telus, University Terrace, and Southfield car parks will rise from $164.40 to about $166.70.
The U of A’s numerous parking lots vary in daily and monthly rates. Check them out here so you can see how the increases will apply to you:
The increase of monthly and annual pass prices in 2017 follows tradition — Rhodes said over the past several years the passes have only increased by the cost of living, which varies from year to year. Rode said that prices need to increase because costs for Ancillary Services, a non-academic unit in the U of A that is not funded by the government, rise every year and parking facilities require constant upgrading.
“We think the rate proposal increases are fair and we take those increases in order that we can continue to get the funding levels required for our costs,” he said.
Zoe Hastings, a second-year political science student, has bought annual student parking passes since she started at the U of A. While she said she noticed a price increase from last year to this year she didn’t receive notification of that change.
“I think it would be nice for existing pass holders to be notified with the increasing price,” she said. “Though I don’t think it will detract from the sales of the parking pass.”
Hastings added that a 1.4 per cent increase is barely noticeable since she already pays close to $800 a year for her pass at Windsor Car Park.
“I feel like the parking passes are already incredibly expensive,” she said. “But compared to inflation and the price to park anywhere in a major city I see where the U of A is coming from.”
With the high price of the pass and because her schedule now makes it easier for her to take public transit, Hastings said she is considering not buying a pass next year.
