Minimum parking requirements could be eliminated in some new Vancouver developments

An underground parking area is seen in this undated stock image. (Shutterstock.com)

Vancouver council is set to consider scrapping minimum parking requirements for new developments in some parts of the city.

Benefits of the move would include reduced emissions and getting more units of housing built quicker and at a reduced cost, according to a staff report that will be presented next week.

The proposal would eliminate requirements in the West End and the Broadway Plan area, two parts of the city staff say are well poised to handle the change, in part, because of an "oversupply" of existing off-street parking, the walkability of the communities, and a "highly-regulated" system for on-street parking.

"The elimination of minimum vehicle parking requirements can lower the cost of construction and enhance development viability, particularly for rental projects and projects on smaller or more challenging sites," the report says.

"With the improved development economics, there may be opportunities to secure additional development contributions to deliver the necessary infrastructure and amenities to support growth."

"Minimum off-street parking requirements in the parking by-law have historically been in place to ensure that all the vehicles associated with each building can park on that property and do not rely on street parking," the report notes.

In 2019, the report notes, the requirement was lifted in the downtown core. Since then Edmonton and Toronto have eliminated it city-wide, as have U.S. cities like New York, Portland and Austin.

Because most parking has to be built underground, it increases the cost of building – particularly on "sites that are small, unusually shaped, or have more challenging soil conditions," the staff report says.

"By enabling lower parking provision, those sites can become more financially attractive."

Lower construction costs can – at least in theory – translate to more affordable units and incentivize developers to build non-market rentals. The report estimates that parking can account for up to 20 per cent of a project's total cost.

The report also says that the price of a condo without a parking spot could be as much as $50,000 lower than a unit with one.

Building underground parking also increases a building's embodied emissions by between 12 and 20 per cent, the staff report says, adding that eliminating this infrastructure can "reduce carbon pollution associated with new building construction."

The report also recommends looking at other parts of the city where minimum parking requirements can be eliminated and reporting back on a plan to implement parking maximums.

No changes are being recommended to the number of required accessible, visitor or bike parking spaces.

Council will vote on the report on Nov. 15.