Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hours in which pay parking is in effect in New Westminster?
Pay parking is in effect seven days per week including Statutory Holidays:
Monday through to Saturday (8:00 am to 8:00 pm) and Sundays & Holidays (12:00 pm to 8:00 pm).
What forms of payment are accepted at the pay stations?
Payment can be made by cash (coins only), Visa, Master Card, or American Express.
Note: the machines do not issue change.
Who do I contact if I have a problem with the pay station?
Parking Services at 604-519-2010, during the hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. If calling after 4:30 pm, please call back during the next business day.
What if the machine does not work?
Try again. If it still does not work, proceed to the next pay station on the same street.
What are the rates?
The hourly parking rate ranges from $2.50 - $3.00 with a minimum charge of $1.00, or a minimum cash payment of $0.25. The exact rate depends upon which area of the City you are parked. (includes a 25 cent per hour Climate Action Levy)
What is the charge for Handicapped Parking?
Same rates as above.
Can I re-meter in the same block?
No, after exceeding the 2 hour parking time limit, you must move your vehicle.
How long can I park?
The parking limit is up to 2 hours in most areas, except for some 3 hour parking around Douglas College. Please pay careful attention to the signage in the area. A prepay option is available of up to 2 hours prior to the start of pay parking. For more info, see below.
If I park at 11:00 am on Sunday and put money in the meter when does it start?
Pay parking is in effect at 12:00 pm on Sundays. If you added money at 11:00 am, the first hour (11:00 am to 12:00 noon) would be at no charge. If paying for two hours at 11:00 am, the 2 hour limit would start at 12:00 noon and expire at 2:00 pm.
What personal information is collected when paying for parking?
Coin operated meters
No personal information is collected from the parker unless a parking bylaw offense is committed.
Digital parking meters
At a digital parking meter, there are two types of personal information collected:
- credit card details and
- license plate numbers
These two types of information are not retained together nor with other identifying information that links the information with an individual's name.
The credit card information is encrypted and transmitted to the bank over systems that comply with the PCI standard (payment card industry data security standard). The only information retained in the parking system is card type and the last 4 digits, payment times, and amounts.
The license data remains on the parking meter only for a few minutes after which it is sent to the parking systems administrative software for retention. The data can only be accessed in real time by the enforcement officers at the location of the meter, and after that by the Manager of Parking and systems technicians of the administrative software. The administrative software is saved and located in British Columbia. The City only accesses this information in the software to manage complaints and gather statistics on parking in the City, which are both necessary fuctions for the City's service.
License information is only transferred directly to the City if an offense is committed and a parking ticket issued. If there is no ticket issued, car license plate numbers are not kept in a City database. They remain only in the parking system administrative software.
Passport Mobile Parking App
For more information, click here.
Monthly Parking Rental
A rental contract is entered into with the City and retained until it expires plus 7 years. The parker's license plate is entered into the City's permitting system to allow for enforcement of parking offenses.