The long-standing and often daily challenge of parking on campus will be somewhat different, and hopefully better, in the next academic year and over the next decade according to a new Sustainable Parking Framework from TRU.

“It is encouraging that, after our long years of raising concerns and promoting alternatives, TRU has recognized that the current parking system isn’t working for students,” said Brian Chiduuro, President and Student Caucus Chair.

Parking satisfaction ratings (3 out of 4 are unsatisfied) in Student Budget Consultation surveys over the last three years have consistently shown need for substantial change. Almost two years after the Students’ Union raised parking in the Student Budget Consultation Report 2016/17, and nearly a year after the Parking Appeals and Advisory Committee made its recommendations, TRU Facilities and the Vice President Administration and Finance have released the new plan to come into effect in September 2017.

TRU Facilities has committed to a series of actions guided by institutional plans, like the Campus Master Plan, and with consideration of proposals from the Students’ Union and the staff union (CUPE Local 4879):

• To allocate parking spaces more equitably to students, convert “employee-only” lots to “premium” and “gated premium” lots with permits allocated 70% to students and 30% to employees
• To encourage parking outside the campus core, designate parking lots as “economy”, “general”, “premium”, or “gated premium” with additional individual reserved stalls, and price them accordingly. (The table below shows the new pricing by lot with the change from current pricing for students in parentheses)

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• To provide fairness for commuting students, provide a 20% discount on semester and annual passes for students who commute from outside of the transit service area
• To encourage more sustainable commuting, implement sign-up incentives and a reward system for the TRU Rideshare program, and implement the Zipcar car-sharing program
• To develop the campus sustainably, replace surface parking lots with buildings to increase density and walkability (resulting in the loss of 472 stalls or 18% of current stalls over the next decade)

For the full details of the changes, see the Sustainable Parking Framework.

“Student priorities for parking improvements are affordability, value, transparent use of revenue, fair and efficient space management, flexible rate options, and viable alternatives,” Chiduuro continued, “Some of the coming changes may address these priorities while others raise new concerns. We will review the effects and expect TRU to do the same.”

To stay up-to-date on all of TRU’s responses to your priorities, check out the Student Budget Consultation webpage!

For more information contact: