On April 26, the Vancouver City Council approved a flat rate of $2 an hour for on-street parking throughout Chinatown. The new fee structure is part of the city’s efforts to help revitalize Chinatown and is part of the Chinatown Revitalization Action Plan approved earlier this year.
Chinatown is a historic district of the City of Vancouver, and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said, “We remain committed to revitalizing the area and making it safe, accessible and vibrant for travelers and businesses. ‘
The new $2 flat rate will be implemented from June 1, 2023. It will be implemented on a trial basis until December 31, 2024. It is now $1 to $5 an hour during the day and $1 to $3 at night.
During this pilot program, we will also consider ways to improve loading opportunities for commercial vehicles, increase parking, and improve safety in EasyPark parking lots.
The “Chinatown Revitalization Action Plan’ was approved in January 2023 and includes enhanced cleaning and sanitation services, graffiti removal, beautification, and additional community support in Chinatown.
Since the spread of the new coronavirus infection in Chinatown, there has been an acceleration of moves such as closing stores, as well as an increase in discriminatory graffiti and vandalism on buildings due to an increase in hate crimes against East Asians.