City council voted to ask for provincial help, as municipality doesn't have authority
St. Catharines city council has voted to pressure the provincial government to prohibit apartment building owners from enforcing paid visitor parking.
Residents in a St. Catharines building recently convinced a landlord to cancel the idea.
Councillor Dawn Dodge notes support workers visiting elderly people face the added expense. "As you've heard it's in Toronto, it's all over the province. It's a real issue, I mean, I can understand the other side of the coin, where some of the people who own the buildings are trying to make ends meet, and maybe keep their rent lower."
City staff added change comes from the province, while a municipality can't force a landlord's hand.
Councillor Joe Kushner also spoke for the personal support workers, who he says aren't well paid... he said they couldn't afford to do their job if required to pay, and visiting family members were upset too.
He was impressed with that public meeting where residents got the landlord to change his mind. "When I went to the meeting, I thought there'd be 20 or 30 people... the top floor was packed, there was hundreds of people there. They were very angry, but they were very respectful."
Councillor Kevin Townsend noted many Toronto area condos offer parking passes, along with the paid parking. City staff said that request can be sent to the province as well.
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