Toronto Parking Authority

Toronto Parking Authority
Municipally owned corporation
Industry Parking
Predecessor Parking Authority of Toronto
Founded 1998
Headquarters Toronto
Services Parking lots, bicycle sharing
Owner City of Toronto
Website Toronto Parking Authority

The Toronto Parking Authority (TPA), commonly known as Green P for its green-colour branding, is a parking lot management company owned by the City of Toronto. The TPA was established in 1998 with the merger of parking operations in the cities of the former Metropolitan Toronto. A municipal parking authority in the former city of Toronto was first set up in 1952, taking over management of parking from the police.[1]

The TPA operates off-street parking garages & parking lots, on-street metered parking, and Toronto's bicycle sharing system, Bike Share Toronto.

It is the largest supplier of municipal parking services in North America, and is 100% self-sustaining through parking user fees and other sources, returning 75% of its annual net operating income to the City of Toronto.[2][3]

Operations

Entrance to City Hall Parking Garage
Bike Share Toronto

The TPA operates around 54,000 parking spaces, in off-street parking garages & parking lots, as well as on-street metered parking across Toronto.

34,000 of these spaces located in 186 off street parking garages and lots, with the largest parking garage being the 2,000 space underground parking garage under Nathan Phillips Square. Parking lots that are operated by the Toronto Parking Authority are marked with green signs with their signature P in the middle, hence, "Green P" parking.[4]

The TPA also manages and operates parking facilities under contract for the Toronto Transit Commission, with around 14,000 spaces located at 14 TTC stations.[5] The largest TTC parking lot is the combined parking lot for Finch Station, with over 3,200 spaces. When the Toronto York Spadina Subway Extension opens in 2017, three of the six new subway stations will have commuter parking lots, with the largest at Pioneer Village on the border of Toronto and Vaughan.[6]

The TPA also operates and maintains Toronto's bicycle sharing system, Bike Share Toronto. The TPA took over from Public Bike System Company (PBSC) in 2013 when they ran into financial difficulties.[7] The system covers downtown Toronto with 2,750 bikes at 270 stations.[8]

Enforcement

Enforcement of parking in TPA's lots are carried out by TPA's own enforcement officers. Customers who fail to pay or park longer for the amount of time that they purchase are issued a one-time Courtesy Envelope. If they are found to be violating the parking, they are automatically issued $30 police tags. Parking enforcement officers are members of the Toronto Police Service.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bateman, Chris (9 September 2017). "The parking garage of the future!". Spacing. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  2. ↑ "Toronto Parking Authority". City of Toronto.
  3. ↑ "What is the Toronto Parking Authority (Green P)". Toronto Parking Authority.
  4. ↑ "Toronto Parking Authority Annual Report 2015" (PDF). Toronto Parking Authority.
  5. ↑ "TTC Parking". Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension - Frequently Asked Questions". ttc.ca. Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  7. ↑ "City of Toronto places bike share program on financially sustainable course". toronto.ca. City of Toronto. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  8. ↑ "Bike Share Toronto expansion gives Toronto residents 70 new bike stations". City of Toronto. August 2, 2017.
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