Curb Access & Parking

Changes happening to improve access to parking across the City

Curb space, the area between sidewalks and vehicle traffic, is important to how we move, gather, and access services in the City. Competition for parking and curb space is too high, which means people are struggling to access parking near shops and homes, and find space to load or unload goods safely.

The City’s Curb Access and Parking Plan, which was approved by Council on April 14, 2025, aims to balance curb space use to meet the needs of our community.

The plan has three main goals:

Improve parking reliability, particularly in high-demand areas of the City.
Introduce more equitable parking policies so more people can access the curb when and where needed.
Support businesses through improved curb space management.

These goals will be achieved through the parking policy changes outlined below.

Implementing the Plan

The City is implementing the plan in phases, focusing first on areas with the highest parking use, Lower and Central Lonsdale. Parking changes for these areas come into effect starting September 2025. We will then monitor the changes and make adjustments as needed.

The plan's target is a maximum of 85% of on-street parking used at any given time. This means there will always be a few parking spots available on the street.

To achieve this target we’re expanding permit zones for residents and adding pay parking to commercial areas. Other curb uses, like loading zones and accessible spaces, are included as part of the plan. The map below shows the changes happening first in Central and Lower Lonsdale.

Parking changes begin in Lower and Central Lonsdale starting from mid-September to November 2025, followed by a monitoring period in 2026. Further changes to this area may be made during this assessment period. Other neighbourhoods across the City experiencing high demand for curb space can expect parking changes starting in 2027.

Legend

Curb Access and Parking Map legend

To see specific parking details, explore the interactive map above by clicking a line segment or searching an address where you live, work or do business using the search bar in the top right.

To view each parking regulation type in isolation, visit the City’s interactive mapping platform CityMap. Select ‘Layers’ in top left corner of the map, scroll down to find the ‘Map Layers’ section and select ‘Parking’, then select the specific parking regulation type you wish to see on the map. Select and deselect regulation types to toggle map layers on and off and view additional parking information.

To learn more about when changes will be implemented across different areas of Lower and Central Lonsdale, see the Curb Access & Parking Implementation Phases Map 2025.

To learn more about pay parking, permit parking, accessible parking, and other permit types, visit their respective webpages.

Parking Policy Changes

The Curb Access and Parking Plan includes five policy changes. These changes are based on global best parking management practices, alignment with City strategies, and solutions for the challenges that community members have shared. Engagement summary reports are linked in the Related Documents section at the bottom of this page.

Change 1	Expand pay parking in high-demand areas to increase parking turnover and availability.
Current State	Parking in many commercial areas is near 100% occupancy resulting in significant circling for parking or being unable to find a space to park. While time-limited restrictions were effective at managing demand decades ago, they are no longer working with the demand we are seeing today.
Anticipated Future State	Demand is regulated through pricing, ensuring that each block hits a targeted occupancy (with a sweet spot of ~85%) so that a few spaces per block are available at any given time.
Change 2	Update the Resident and Visitor Parking Policy by expanding coverage and adjusting eligibility criteria and costs.
Current State	The City’s Resident & Visitor Parking Policy is now 30 years old and no longer aligns with the types of housing and buildings being built, nor does it keep pace with the rate of growth and change in curb space demands. Under this policy, Resident Exempt (RE) permits are available to residents living in housing with three unit or and select older multi-family buildings only.
Anticipated Future State	Regardless of housing type, parking permits are available for purchase for residents who need them. Permit rates will reflect demand and can be adjusted on a regular basis to balance demand and supply.
Change 3	Expand short-term loading zones for the efficient and safe movement of people and goods.
Current State	The movement of people and goods has changed significantly since our streets were originally designed. There are more deliveries occurring because of online shopping and more ride-hailing trips being taken, requiring more short-term spaces to pick up and drop off passengers. Demand exceeds supply of loading zones, resulting in double parking where vehicles park in travel lanes, thereby creating unsafe conditions.
Anticipated Future State	More loading zones for people and goods, in both residential and commercial areas, reducing double parking, and improving safety.
Change 4	Provide more accessible on-street parking spaces in close proximity to shops, services, and key destinations across the City.
Current State	Accessible on-street parking for people with disabilities is irregular and occupied most of the time. There are now over 3,000 accessible parking permits issued in North Vancouver, with demand for accessible parking spaces across the City continuing to exceed supply, particularly near commercial streets.
Anticipated Future State	Accessible parking is provided at regular intervals near shops and services, and turns over regularly.
Change 5	Enable unique, special-use parking to ensure a wide range of curbspace needs are achieved.
Current State	There are many different needs for curb access. The majority of curb space currently serves private vehicle parking, limiting other curb uses that can encourage efficient ways to travel, contribute to local economic development, and reduce our carbon pollution and impact on the environment.
Anticipated Future State	More space for unique parking needs.

How the Plan was Developed

The Curb Access and Parking Plan was developed in partnership with residents, business owners, and community groups.

The City conducted two phases of engagement to learn about the experiences and perspectives of those who live, work, and visit the City, identifying challenges and potential solutions to improve the lives of those who use our streets every day.

To learn more about how we engaged the community on this project, visit our Let's Talk CNV Curb Access & Parking Plan webpage. Engagement summary reports are also linked in the Related Documents section at the bottom of this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information, including on planning and implementation, pay parking areas, parking pricing and permit parking for residents, see additional frequently asked questions.

Can I provide feedback on the Plan?
Two comprehensive rounds of public engagement were undertaken between 2023 and 2024 as part of the development of the Curb Access and Parking Plan. For the second phase of engagement, the City circulated a City-wide mail-out to residents and businesses, inviting them to participate in the process. Engagement summary reports can be found on our Let's Talk CNV Curb Access & Parking Plan webpage.

The Curb Access and Parking Plan was endorsed by Council in April 2025. The City will closely monitor how changes through initial implementation impact parking occupancy, and will consider further adjustments in locations where parking outcomes do not align with objectives. At any point, you can share your feedback with cityparking@cnv.org.

Why is this Plan needed now?
The City’s existing parking policy is 30 years old and no longer aligns with the types of housing and buildings being built, nor does it account for the growth and change in curb space demands. Current demand for parking and curb space is outweighing supply, and as the City continues to grow, so too will this demand, making it even more challenging for residents and visitors to find on-street parking, and creating more congestion and lost time as drivers struggle to find parking.

The City’s Mobility Strategy (also known as a transportation master plan) includes a goal to limit the number of vehicles driving during peak hours. By appropriately pricing on-street curb space and parking, this can encourage people to consider what travel mode they take for each trip, whether this is carpooling, walking, cycling, taking transit.

The City has been working on transformative changes to curb space and regulations to modernize curbside use and parking access across the City since 2022. Following a robust, two-year engagement process, the City is now ready to implement the initial phases of the Curbside Access and Parking Plan with changes beginning in fall 2025 in Lower and Central Lonsdale. Following monitoring of these neighbourhoods in 2026, other neighbourhoods will see curb space adjustments, starting in 2027 where warranted.

Contact Us

Transportation Division
Phone: 604-982-9675
Email: cityparking@cnv.org

graphics of parking types in the City