Drivers who park their vehicle at a metered space in Thunder Bay will now be able to use an app to pay for parking at any of the more than 1,000 municipal parking spots across the city.

The City of Thunder Bay will use the Passport Parking Canada app to enable anyone to pay for their parking on a smartphone. The software will also allow users to pay for parking tickets through the City’s website.

“This app allows people to pay right on their smartphone, even top up your time if it’s running out. You don’t have to go out to the meter,” said Jonathan Paske, Supervisor - Parking Authority.

“The app also complements existing parking meters and pay stations already in place at municipal parking lots and on-street parking,” added Paske.

Using an app to pay for parking, and allowing drivers to have a cashless transaction to pay for on-street metered parking aligns with the City’s new Digital Strategy, which calls for more services to be offered virtually. This new app helps bring parking into the digital realm.

Parking tickets can also now be paid online through the City’s website. This feature further expands online parking services and responds to driver requests for easy online ticket payment. To pay a ticket, visit the parking page on the City’s website and select the ‘Pay a Ticket’ feature.

The new mobile app also integrates enforcement data into one platform allowing the Parking Authority to analyze when specific parking zones are in highest demand. The software is used in more than 800 cities across North America, including Toronto, Boston and Chicago.

The Passport Parking Canada app can be downloaded for free on any mobile device from the App Store or Google Play. Once downloaded, drivers can enter in their licence plate and a specific zone number, displayed on signs near parking spaces, and pay directly from their phone. The app also gives drivers a reminder when their time is about to expire.

For more information, visit: www.thunderbay.ca/parking

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Contact:          Jeff Walters, Communications Officer, Development and Emergency Services, Jeff.walters@thunderbay.ca, 625-2239