Ucluelet is backing out of its plan to charge tourists parking fees after a congestion of opposition revved up against it.
The plan called for visitors from outside the West Coast to be charged a flat daily rate of $10 to park their vehicles for one-day, $27 for three days or $45 for seven days. Annual parking passes would be available to frequent visitors for $50.
The fees would be in place year-round and in effect on all public roadways.
The idea was first introduced in October, 2023, by the district’s then-CAO Duane Lawrence who suggested the revenue brought in could help cover the costs of “forecasted infrastructure deficits that we know the municipality is experiencing.”
In June, 2024, council voted 3-2 in favour of moving ahead with the fees and another vote to implement them was held in October of that year receiving unanimous support from council.
The fees were part of a Traffic and Parking Bylaw set to be adopted during the town’s April 29, 2025, municipal council meeting, but a flurry of opposition cascaded across local social media channels and residents packed into the meeting seemingly united in their eagerness to voice opposition.
Civic unrest quickly turned to civic appreciation however as Mayor Marilyn McEwen moved the pay parking discussion to the top of the agenda ahead of the delegations and letter reviews, explaining enough opposition had been heard.
Council then voted unanimously to put a pause on the fees and offer more community engagement to residents.
“This is a matter in which I think council has a real responsibility to solicit as much input from the public as possible," Coun. Mark Maftei said. "Based on the correspondence and based on the conversations that I’ve received, I feel that our responsibility at this point is to continue to engage with the public."
