VANCOUVER – A Vancouver city councillor is proposing that veterans should be able to park for free throughout the city.
In a motion up for consideration at city council this week, Councillor Melissa De Genova says currently veterans are able to park for free from Nov. 4 to 11 to mark Veterans' Week, but several other Canadian cities allow veterans to park for free all year long.
A report done by the City of Surrey showed that there was little effect on parking meter revenues when the city allowed veterans to park for free, De Genova says in her motion. Red Deer, Regina, White Rock, and London, Ont. also allow veterans to park without paying.
De Genova is suggesting that veterans who display a valid veteran licence plate should get complimentary parking at metred parking spots, Easy Park lots, and at city-run community centres and pools. But the free parking should be limited to existing parking time limits, De Genova says in her motion.
