Airport parking rules, fees will undergo changes, official declares
Airport parking rules, fees will undergo changes, official declares
Drivers will no longer be allowed to park their vehicles for months, or even years, on end at the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport come December.
That’s when new parking fees and rules will come into effect, Allan Nixon, assistant deputy minister for transportation, said late this morning.
Among the changes will be a maximum 30-day stay for vehicles, with the airport having the authority to tow those that have been there longer.
Daily fees will jump to $5 from the current $1.50, and lost ticket fees will rise from $30 to $150.
Parking stalls will also be reallocated in order to double the number of day-use parking spots from 20 to 40.
Work on the changes began last spring when it became clear there were issues around long-term parking at the airport, with a number of vehicles taking up space for many months.
Some had flat tires and bore expired licence plates.
As Nixon describes it, the airport operates under a number of pieces of different legislation, and it has taken some work to allow for the towing of vehicles.
Also a factor was the fact there’s no current maximum limit on how long a vehicle can be parked at the airport.
“That’s the challenge we’ve had,” Nixon said.
While there are spots available for parking many days, on busy travel days such as this past Thanksgiving weekend, he noted, the parking lot can fill up quickly.
He noted with the new maximum time limit and ability to tow, more space could be opened up in the parking lot.
The Yukon government issued an advisory last Friday morning that the airport parking lot was full. It recommended that travellers be dropped off at the airport instead of planning to park there.
The increase in daily rates from $1.50 to $5 still makes the Whitehorse airport cheaper to park at than most airports in the country as well as many parts of downtown, Nixon pointed out.
“The first hour is still free,” he added.
Over the next month, a public education campaign will take place to make people aware of the impending changes before they take effect in December.
Comments (11)
Up 1 Down 1
Jiri Bilina on Oct 31, 2014 at 2:55 pm
Not everybody lives in Whitehorse, Mr. Nixon. You can't get ride to the airport if you live in Dawson. I was going to leave my car over there for 3 months this winter, now I am screwed.....
Tow away all the junk and leave everything the way it is. Please.....
Up 16 Down 0
Just Say'in on Oct 17, 2014 at 10:10 pm
I for one have been watching this for years since the Government spent Millions of Dollars on the parking lot to increase space and collect fee's. I have documented dozens of vehicles that have been there literally for years. The longest for over five years based on it's expired plates.
Local Storage yards charge about 80.00 per month to store a vehicle while it only cost 45.00 at the Airport and is more assessable and better security. Where would you put it based on that logic?
There are a few mini vans parked there with no, or expired plates that are full of personal belongings (even in the front seats) and are used as affordable storage containers close to town.
One Ton trucks with tri-axel trailers and construction materials on the back that obviously can't be parked at the owners house.
How about the Dude that lived in his 5th Wheel trailer all summer and had his Barbecue on the lawn, would unhook his truck and drive wherever while living at the Airport.
It has been a total joke and there is no justification at all.
Up 11 Down 2
yukon56 on Oct 17, 2014 at 7:06 pm
CJ, Adding another $150 to the plane ticket, should I be so lucky to escape from here for 30 days. Do you need to park at the airport, expose your vehicle to damage or vandalism? Use your brain, take a cab.
Up 28 Down 3
bobbybitman on Oct 16, 2014 at 3:31 pm
If they broke it down to $1.50 for the first 30 days, then $5 per day after that, you would probably see people going in every 30 days to move their car out and right back in again.
$5 a day is still extremely cheap. Hopefully the vast riches from the extra $3.50 a day are put to good use.
Up 12 Down 24
We are the Yukon on Oct 16, 2014 at 7:47 am
We are the Yukon and we do things that are in our interest not Ontario, or BC. If you like those areas then join them.
Up 18 Down 20
CJ on Oct 15, 2014 at 6:02 pm
I'd like to see the actual stats for the claim that the parking lot is full due to derelict, unlicensed, abandoned vehicles. Really? Like 80 percent or what? Maybe the parking compound was undersized to begin with. It just seems like a manufactured problem to me.
I don't know why parking at the airport is supposed to align with "down south" prices or downtown Whitehorse prices, for that matter. Many people come in from the communities to get an airplane. It's not like when you leave the airport, especially at these weird times, like 11:30 arrivals, there's a fleet of cabs waiting to take you where ever you need to go. In Toronto, within 15 minutes I could be on an express bus to just about anywhere. Who needs your car in that case? And if my family wants to take me to Pearson airport or pick me up, there's no panic about getting ticketed.
As for raising the price 300 percent, why not make the parking fees higher after 30 days? Congratulations to the hockey mom, putting her kids on flights as she wishes (and being snarky about people who have the gall to use the parking lot). That's not my lifestyle. The few precious times I've been on an airplane since the parking compound was put in, the machine hasn't even worked. That's how sophisticated the Whitehorse airport is. I foresee a lot of "accidental" towing happening.
Those early morning flights and late arrivals are out of the question for me if I can't park at the airport. Adding another $150 to the plane ticket, should I be so lucky to escape from here for 30 days, is just Whitehorse economics at work, designing policies to suit the Copper Ridge crowd.
Up 30 Down 10
Hockey Mom on Oct 15, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Have you not ever been frustrated at the lack of parking at our airport ...due to long-term (abondoned, broken down, expired plates, tires flat or even tires removed) vehicles! All of which apply to our Whse airport I'm sad to say... Our current parking prices (or lack there of) only entice people to offend in this manner. I'm glad these changes are being made. And really... you're honestly going to take the time to complain about the price increasing to $5! Instead of critizing this much needed change, take a moment and do the research for the REAL current parking fees out there people! Take it from me, I'm a traveller, and fund many of my kids hockey trips outside... $5 is still VERY very cheap! I for one, welcome the change!
St. John’s
Short-Term: Each half hour $1.75
Long-Term: Maximum daily rate (24 hours) $14.00
Per week (seven calendar days) $70.00
Toronto
Long Term: $3/ 20 minutes
$15 Daily
Vancouver
$22.00 Cashier per day
or $130.00 Express Pay a week.
Up 18 Down 10
Tater on Oct 15, 2014 at 3:08 pm
I think this is a good idea. It's about time taxpayers quit subsidizing airport parking.
And as for the comment Government workers will not pay, I think they will.
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This is disrespectful of the Yukon on Oct 14, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Increasing parking fees from $1.50 to $5.00 a day is disrespectful of the Yukon people. All government elected officials stop this abuse of power and economic negative affect on the Yukon. Interesting, Yukon Government employees will not pay this fee only the general public. This is a tax increase of 300% by the Yukon party who supports tax increases. We thought the liberals were tax increasers. Mr. Premier do you support this type of tax increase? People of the Yukon do you not support this behavior?
Up 26 Down 26
Creighton on Oct 14, 2014 at 7:47 pm
Ok so now you wanna penalize the average Joe by raising the daily fee from $1.50 to $5 that's a 300 plus percent increase! Don't give me this "well down south they" baloney. We are not down south and this should not be a huge issue. I submit that for the first 30 days it's a $1.50, 30-45 days it's $10, 45- infinity it's $25. That payment scene allows for families travelling the base rate, for some others, those who tend to use it as a storage facility, to really pay some money and in essence subsidize those that are not mis-using it's intent.
Up 20 Down 18
francias pillman on Oct 14, 2014 at 3:12 pm
$5 from $1.50? What a joke.