PARTS OF TWO COMMUNITIES TO SEE 'PARKING FEE HOLIDAY'

Those visiting shops in parts of two southern Mississauga communities may not have to pay for parking this upcoming holiday season.

Mississauga General Committee has approved a "parking fee holiday" for the Business Improvement Areas (BIAS) in Port Credit and Clarkson starting today and ending Jan. 14, 2022.

The move, a city staff report said, was aimed to help businesses in those neighbourhoods compete with malls during the holiday season.

Coun. Stephen Dasko, who's ward contains the Port Credit neighbourhood, moved the motion for the parking fee holiday and said it was an important gesture for local shops.

"I tried to do this last year, especially after this siege that COVID-19 and a lot of the provincial regulations had on our smaller businesses (which was) pretty devastating, especially for curbside pickup," he said.

"We're definitely not out of the woods yet, and this is, I believe, just a small price to pay, just to help support our local businesses that I truly look forward to it so very much."

The move would see free parking the Port Credit BIA area, which runs across Lakeshore Road East from east of Seneca Avenue to John Street South. A paid parking area 50 metres north of Lakeshore Road East between Stavebank Road and Hurontario Street is also included in the holiday.

Parking meters on Lakeshore Road West would be shut down from west of Meadowood Road in the Clarkson Village BIA area.

The move to waiving parking fees is estimated to cost $35,000 in revenue, as well as $500 for Clarkson spaces.

The city staff report also said that $8,000 to $11,000 in "associated operational costs" would be assumed related to the parking holiday.