N2.2Adjust parking requirements to support infill development

Under provincial legislation, the City has the ability to regulate and require parking spaces to be built with new development. These parking requirements are outlined in Part 5 of the zoning bylaw.

Depending on the scale and type of development, parking requirements can be a costly component of a project. A surface stall costs around $15,000, while an underground stall costs around $70,000. To accommodate required parking stalls, many properties construct a building on a portion of the land, with the remaining area dedicated to surface parking.

Infill development refers to small-scale projects, typically on smaller lots. An example of infill is the accessory-dwelling unit, also known as a coach home or laneway house. Parking requirements for small-scale infill development can often substantially restrict the feasibility of such projects. When infill development is located next to other transportation options, such as a transit corridor, it can be feasible to reduce or eliminate parking requirements.

The Province introduced new legislation in Fall 2023 to support small-scale, multi-unit homes. This legislation allows by-right the construction of up to four units per lot, and six units per lot when near frequent transit service. The legislation also eliminated parking requirements for these small-scale, multi-unit homes. The legislation does not modify parking requirements for other forms of infill development, such as commercial.