Free parking in Downtown Belleville would cost $800k per year

The implementation of free downtown parking would represent an additional cost of $806,541.70 in the first full year of operation, with ongoing annual costs of approximately $780,000. This additional cost would represent a net requirement for the parking program that would need to be funded from general City revenues.

The City could reduce the net requirement to $501,541.70 by eliminating the reserve contribution, although this would eventually drain the available funding in the reserve fund meaning that future capital needs for the parking program would also have to be funded from general City revenues, reducing available funding for other program areas.

Revenues would decrease by $596,247

Based on the 2025 draft budget documents the City reported actual revenues of $902,223.89 from the parking operation. This was comprised of $313,471.71 from parking meters, $193,768.58 from sales of daytime parking permits at downtown lots, $394,557.80 in fines from parking violations and $425.80 in miscellaneous revenues. In 2024, actual revenues for parking operations totaled $902,224.

If the City were to implement free parking in the downtown, the total revenue loss associated free downtown parking is estimated at $596,247 compared to the 2024 actual parking revenue.

With the change to free parking in the downtown total estimated revenues would be about $305,980, with most of that being comprised of fine revenues from enforcement of various parking and traffic by-law infractions that are not related to paying for parking in the downtown.

Costs would decrease by $45,722

Based on the 2025 draft budget documents the City reported actual costs in 2024 of $902,223.89 to operate the parking system for the City. This includes the maintaining and enforcing the downtown parking lots and on street spaces, plus ongoing enforcement of parking rules and restrictions across the entire City.

Many of these costs will continue to be incurred as part of managing the parking operation, dealing with customer concerns, co-ordinating and undertaking enforcement activities across the City and managing and maintaining the existing parking assets.