FAQs
What accessible parking improvements are being proposed?
The City of Victoria is taking steps to develop accessible parking requirements and expand the supply of public accessible parking stalls on our streets and in parkades. The City's Accessible Parking project has two components:
1 ) Create new accessible parking rates and design requirements for private development projects.
In the past, accessible parking requirements and stall dimensions were guided by the BC Building Code. This responsibility now falls to local governments. The outcome of this project aims to increase supply of accessible parking stalls in new construction projects and set clear rules for the placement, minimum dimensions, signage, paint markings, surface materials, and lighting to improve overall usefulness.
2 ) Adopt new design criteria for publicly provided accessible parking stalls.
New criteria will inform the design of future on-street parking, parkade and surface lot parking stalls and support retrofit efforts of existing parking stalls. The City plans to increase the number of public accessible parking stalls over the next five years, with a focus on municipal facilities, parks, village centres and the downtown core.
Who's involved in the engagement process?
The City has been working with accessibility groups and key stakeholders and has also partnered with the Victoria Disability Resource Centre to survey accessible parking permit holders. The feedback collected will help inform new design criteria and parking supply rates for accessible parking in Victoria.
The City is also providing the opportunity for all accessible parking users to provide feedback on newly updated accessible parking stalls on Dallas Road. Visit www.victoria.ca/AP for more information about this opportunity.
How will feedback be used to improve accessible parking?
New accessible parking stall dimensions will be informed by user feedback and design standards adopted by the American Disability Act and Canadian Standards for Accessible Design for the Built Environment.
A jurisdictional scan of accessible parking in 29 municipalities in BC and Canada has been conducted and accessibility partners were consulted to help provide recommendations on design criteria and rates. Survey feedback will further help inform supply rates in Victoria.
What happens next?
After the City finishes collecting feedback from accessible parking users, design standards will be finalized and accessible parking supply rates will be assessed. Staff will then bring the proposed design standards and associated bylaws to Council for adoption later in 2021 through a formal hearing process.
Once approved by Council, the City will undertake a comprehensive retrofit project to upgrade many existing stalls. The City will also expand accessible parking options throughout our downtown core and within village centres.