Parking Requirements Could Come to an End in Edmonton, Alberta

The latest North American city to take up the cause of Donald Shoup and "The High Cost of Free Parking" is located in Canada.

1 minute read

May 9, 2019, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Canadian Cities

Ronnie Chua / Shutterstock

The city of Edmonton is "planning to remove requirements citywide for home and business owners to build off-street parking in lots and garages," according to a column by Elise Stolte.

After live tweeting a hearing on the proposal at the Edmonton City Council on May 7, Stolte is adding commentary on the proposal. The message she'd like to deliver to drivers who might feel entitled to abundant parking: on-street parking spaces belong to everyone, and all the "free" parking in the world actually requires a massive public subsidy.

Including a reference Donald Shoup, Stolte is clearly on the side of parking reform and attempts to build a case that will need supporters for the cause when the Edmonton City Council considers proposed parking reform in fall of this year.

Thursday, May 9, 2019 in Edmonton Journal

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

July 14 - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14 - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

July 14 - Los Angeles Public Press