Westboro merchants fear new parking meters are driving away business
Bylaw officers issued 1,600 tickets in September along Wellington Street W., Richmond Road
Cameron Mahler · CBC News
Posted: Oct 01, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 hours ago
Ottawa bylaw officers have handed out more than 1,600 parking tickets since new meters were installed along Wellington Street W. and Richmond Road last month, prompting a mixed response from residents and businesses.
The city said it installed the pay-and-display machines to better manage curb-side parking and boost shopper turnover on the busy retail strip, but some businesses say the new meters aren't having the desired effect.
At Quelque Chose Patisserie, co-owner David Seba has noticed his shop has been quieter in recent weeks.
"I feel like there's less people now compared to right before that was implemented," Seba said. "Before, [customers] would come chill, relax. Now they come and they're worried that they could get a ticket."
Seba worries the loss of free parking removes the incentive that drove people to Westboro instead of other shopping districts in the city.
"Now that we are the same as any other areas like the Glebe and ByWard [Market], they might as well go somewhere else," he said.
<more>
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/we...ivided-over-new-parking-meters-1.7647535
Threaded Mode