Edmonton could end 15-minute free parking, add paid parking at some attractions
Posted June 1, 2026 4:51 pm.
Last Updated June 1, 2026 6:43 pm.
How much and where you pay for parking in Edmonton could change starting next year.
City council is looking at a host of potential changes at city hall this week recommended by city staff.
That includes getting rid of 15-minute free parking; higher rates for busy areas; and testing out adding fees where there aren’t any currently.
“I think that a lot of people will be upset about that because obviously parking is not super cheap, so having those 15 minutes free does definitely help save some money,” Edmontonian Thao told CityNews.
Right now, parking is free at attractions like the Muttart Conservatory, Fort Edmonton Park and the Edmonton Valley Zoo, to name a few. But that could change next year.
Administrators say adding parking fees there, along with all the other changes, could double how much the city makes from parking – up to $10.4 million a year by 2028.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of feedback on that because you never want to pay more for something like that. At the same time, there is a real cost,” said Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack, adding the city is looking more broadly at where tax dollars are going.
“I think we sometimes forget that free parking isn’t actually free. And so we subsidize it using our property taxes.”
The city is also looking at charging more for EPark zones and city-owned parking lots and parkades downtown and in Old Strathcona.
In a statement, the city says private parkades in the downtown core are often $10 cheaper per day than private lots, and future prices will change based on the demand and need in those areas while still remaining below the cost of private options.
The changes go to council June 9.
