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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.

  • Parking Enforcement Methods

    Parking Services Branch patrols and issues tickets under the Street and Traffic Bylaw.

    They use the following methods:

    1. Respond to public complaints about individual vehicles.
    2. Patrol the streets of New Westminster checking the following:
      1. Coin operated parking meters
      2. Residential permits
      3. Digitally monitoring issues with parking meters using real time data linkages to the metering software
      4. Use a license plate recognition system to monitor parking offences

     

    License Plate Recognition System (LPR)

    The City uses, as of 2017, two types of LPR system:

    • Mobile and
    • Static

    What is LPR?

    The LPR is a license plate recognition application whereby vehicles observed by cameras taking pictures, have their license plates read, recorded and checked against a pre-loaded data base using pattern recognition software.  Peace officers will review and assess all information, correcting for system errors, and controlling the issuing of violation notices.  The system is located in either marked City vehicles, which have four (4) cameras mounted on the vehicle, two facing forward and one to each side.  The system is run on a laptop mounted in the patrol vehicle with communication using encrypted cellular technology with the City network in real time, or as a static camera at the entrance to the parkade.

    Mobile Version

    The Parking Services branch runs two (?) vehicles equipped with LPR camera.  These vehicles are linked in real time with the City’s system which allows them to automatically verify payment at digital meters, verify the validity of  residential permits, and  receive notifications of  police stolen vehicle lists.  The system indicates if a vehicle is in violation and the Bylaw officer confirms the details, and issues the ticket.  When a ticket is issued the information is transferred into the City’s Tempest Ticketing application.

    Static Version

    A static LPR system will be installed in the Front Street Parkade in 2017.  This system records all cars entering the parkade and correlates this list with monthly parkade renters and with vehicles who paid for parking at the pay station.  This system allows for more effective parking enforcement.

    Data collected by the LPR system

    The data collected by the LPR system is deleted 72 hours after collection unless transferred to the City’s ticketing systems because an offense has been committed.

  • Parking Services Office
    M-F: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
    T 604-519-2010
    E