The Mayor of Hamilton announced that the City will be moving away from its paper-based parking voucher system currently in place. Although the official conversion date in 2011 has not been set, EasyPark will become the only method for payment for street parking. EasyPark, which was introduced in the Fall of 2009, currently is used by over a third of the City's parkers.

The Mayor also announced intended parking rate increases in 2011 ranging from 14 to 40 percent. Although the official start date in 2011 has not been set, the planned rate increases include:

The  hourly rate for street parking will increase from $1.75 to $2.00

The hourly rate for City Hall and Par-La-Ville car parks will increase from $1.25 to $1.75

The hourly rate for No. 8 parking lot will increase from $1.00 to $1.50

The daily rate for Bull's Head car park will increase from $5 to $7.

While the Mayor acknowledged these parking rate changes, together with planned increases in property taxes and reduced spending of 11 percent for 2011, will not be popular. However, the decrease in wharfage fee revenues due to the downturn in business meant that the City had to look to raise additional revenues in order manage its budget challenges.

More information will be forth coming in early 2011 when the City rolls out its campaign to highlight these changes.