Paid Parking Inconsistencies, Signage Discrepancies, and Enforcement Review in Kitchissippi Ward

June 5, 2026 (sent via email)

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Office of the Mayor, City of Ottawa

Kitchissippi Ward Councillor, Jeff Leiper

Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWIC)
Chair, Councillor Tim Tierney
Councillor Ariel Troster
Manager, Parking Services, City of Ottawa
Director, By-law and Regulatory Services, City of Ottawa

RE: Paid Parking Inconsistencies, Signage Discrepancies, and Enforcement Review in Kitchissippi Ward

Dear Mayor Sutcliffe, Councillors, and City Staff,

I am writing to request immediate action regarding inconsistent paid parking regulations and apparent signage discrepancies along the Richmond Road/Wellington West commercial corridor in Kitchissippi Ward.

Although Richmond Road and Wellington West span two BIAs, they function as a single corridor for residents, visitors, and businesses. Yet motorists encounter four different paid parking end-times along the corridor:

3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.
*note: not in the letter - these are posted parking times and not all paid parking times - adding to public confusion*

This lack of consistency creates confusion for visitors, challenges for enforcement, and an uneven playing field for businesses operating within the same ward corridor. Of particular concern is the extension of paid parking until 7:30 p.m. in portions of Westboro Village.

While many retail businesses close around 6:00 p.m., restaurants and hospitality businesses depend on evening customers. Extending paid parking into dinner hours creates a direct barrier to visitation at a time when the hospitality sector continues to face significant economic pressures.

What makes matters worse, is that on the same street, blocks away, there is no paid parking for dinner guests.

The impact is measurable. A long-standing restaurant located within the 7:30 p.m. parking zone (Westboro Village), reported the following results from September 2025 through April 2026 compared to the same period the previous year:

Sales are down 10.2%

Profit is down 105.8%

While many factors contribute to business performance, these figures highlight how sensitive restaurants are to customer traffic and how quickly profitability can be affected.

I am also concerned by an apparent discrepancy between posted signage and City parking machines in the area between Kirkwood Avenue and Golden Avenue. The attached photographs show signage indicating paid parking until 7:30 p.m., while parking machines indicate paid parking ends at 5:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Residents and visitors should not be expected to determine which municipal instruction takes precedence. Where conflicting information exists, enforcement becomes a matter of fairness and public confidence.

Accordingly, I respectfully request that the City:

1. Immediately investigate and correct any discrepancies between parking machines and posted signage.

2. Review all parking tickets issued between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the affected area between Kirkwood Avenue and Golden Avenue since September 2025

3. Cancel outstanding tickets and refund paid tickets where conflicting municipal information existed.

4. Standardize paid parking to end at 5:30 p.m. throughout the Richmond Road/Wellington West corridor in Kitchissippi Ward.

5. Conduct parking occupancy monitoring before considering any future extension of paid parking hours.

6. Provide a public explanation for the current inconsistencies and the City's plan to address them.

The City has repeatedly expressed its commitment to supporting local businesses and vibrant main streets. The current parking framework appears inconsistent with those objectives and is creating confusion for visitors, inequity for businesses, not just within the city but within the Ward itself.

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to a positive solution.

Sincerely,

Michelle Groulx