We offer affordable public parking lots, garages and free on-street two-hour street parking spaces in downtown Kitchener and around Grand River Hospital. Learn about your different options below.

On this page:

  1. Parking updates
  2. Pay for monthly parking
  3. Pay for hourly parking
  4. Parking bylaws
  5. Accessible parking
  6. Car share
  7. Bike parking
  8. Electric vehicle charging
  9. Long-term parking strategy

Parking updates

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August 2024

The City Hall parking garage has re-opened. Thanks for your patience.

June 2024

On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the City Hall parking garage will be closed for approximately five weeks for unavoidable maintenance. As a result of this work, the City Hall parking garage will be closed from July 2 until August 6, 2024.

February 2024

Our new licence plate recognition system is now available at all parking garages. The new licence plate recognition system has phased out the old transponder system. All surface lots have transitioned over to licence plate monthly permits, and mirror hang tags have been eliminated.

Pay and display machines have been replaced by pay-by-plate machines in the following surface lots as of Monday, February 12: Lots seven, nine, 14, 15, 19a, 19b, 22, 23 and 24. 

The new pay-by-plate machines will soon be installed in lots three, 12, 13, 16 and 25 – the new surface lot located on Eby Street under the overhang at the Kitchener Market.


Pay for monthly parking

If you need to park downtown or around Grand River Hospital on a regular basis, request a monthly parking permit.


Pay for hourly parking

There are many hourly parking options in downtown Kitchener and around Grand River Hospital. Find a place to park, then pay for hourly parking from your phone or a kiosk.


Parking bylaws

Visit our parking bylaws page to find:

  • street parking bylaws
  • boulevard parking rules

Request an exemption to park in a legal parking spot overnight between December 1 and March 31.


Accessible parking

Accessible parking is available in all of our parking lots and garages except for Queen Street North and Scott Street.

Look for the icon below to find accessible parking spots.

Blue icon with a wheelchair for accessible parking. 


Car share

Communauto gives you access to vehicles without having to own one. Members can rent vehicles on a self-serve, pay-per-use basis. Car share programs can help lower costs and reduce environmental impact by helping people live with one fewer vehicle.

Look for the icon below to find a Communauto car share spot.

Green icon with logo of Communauto showing car share.


Bike parking

Visit our bike parking page to request access to locked bike parking areas inside all parking garages.

There are many bike racks downtown where you can park your bike. If you see the icon below on a sign at one of our parking lots, there is free bike parking available.

Green icon with a bike and P to show bike parking.


Electric vehicle charging

You can charge your electric vehicle at any of our parking garages. There is also an electric vehicle charging station on-street on Francis Street at the corner of Joseph Street.

Look for the icon below to find electric vehicle charging.

Blue icon with an electric vehicle charger.


Long-term parking strategy

We are developing a 20-year strategy to guide parking supply and operations in downtown Kitchener. Share with us your experiences and concerns about parking downtown. Your contributions will help us improve parking options and better support community needs.

Learn more on Engage Kitchener