If you need a monthly parking spot downtown or around Grand River Hospital, you can request monthly parking. We also offer hourly parking for shorter visits.

On this page:

  1. Request a permit or join a waitlist
  2. Licence plate recognition
  3. Manage your permit

 

Request a permit or join a waitlist

Use our online parking permit portal to request a parking permit or join a waitlist at one of our garages or lots. When you choose a parking location, the portal will show you the monthly rate, daily rate and the cost for the rest of the current month.

If the parking location you choose is full, please fill out the form to join the waitlist. If a parking permit becomes available at your preferred location, and you are next on the waiting list, the system will process your purchase of a permit. You will receive an email notification and charges will apply accordingly.

Request a permit or join a waitlist

Check hourly rates on our parking locations page.

Licence plate recognition

The licence plate recognition system is available at all city-run parking garages and surface lots with monthly parking.

How it works

If you have monthly parking at one of our garages, follow these steps:

  1. drive up to the entrance gate
  2. pause to let the cameras detect your licence plate
  3. wait for the gate to rise
  4. enter the parking garage

When you leave the garage, you’ll follow the same steps using the exit gate.

Licence plate issues

In some situations, the system may not be able to read your licence plate (example: it’s faded or hidden by snow). If this happens, please call the "Call When Here" phone number posted at the entry or exit gate (we recommend adding this number as a contact for easy access).

If you included your cell phone number in your permit request and activated the Call When Here function, the system will recognize your phone number on record. If you haven’t provided your phone number or activated the Call When Here function, please use the intercom to speak with staff, who can raise the gate to let you in or out.

How to avoid issues or delays

Under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, your license plate must be unobstructed, clean and easy to read. As a security system, it is critical that the parking system accurately records all vehicles entering and exiting the building. Non-compliant plates may also lead to access issues.

Things that can cause an issue:

  • a licence plate frame obstructing the plate
  • tinted plates
  • damaged, dirty or peeling plates
  • approaching too quickly: please stop at the entry or exit station if your plate is not recognized
  • following the vehicle ahead too closely: please give the vehicle in front of your vehicle ample space when approaching the entry or exit gates

If one of the doors or gates does not open, please use one of the following options: 

  • call when here: using your registered cell phone, call the phone number that is displayed on the gate, then type in the gate number (shown on the gate) when prompted
  • entry or exit kiosk: press the intercom for assistance or take an entry ticket

After you park, please send us an email to report any problems so that we can investigate the cause of the incident.

Payment options

You can pay for monthly parking with:

  • VISA
  • MasterCard
  • debit
  • Discover
  • American Express

You can request a bill a month in advance and pay the full amount by the first of the month. To request this form of payment, send us an email. If your invoice payment is overdue, then the full daily parking rate would apply. 

If you’re affiliated with another corporation that has already negotiated a group monthly parking plan, your parking administrator will register your information for you.

If you’re a monthly parking subscriber of a corporate group (examples: WRPS, Region of Waterloo, KPL), your group will be invoiced at the beginning of the calendar month to pre-pay the sum of all member subscribers. If your group charges their member subscribers, they will give you a receipt.

Manage your permit

To cancel a permit, add a plate or change your auto-renew status, log into the permit portal for your lot or garage:

Log into your existing account at the top right corner of the page. You will see options for “Active Permits,” “Future Permits” and “History.”

Cancel your permit

Follow these steps to cancel your parking permit:

  1. click on the "Active Permits" tab
  2. when you see all of your current permits, scroll to the right and click on the red "Cancel" button
  3. to complete the cancellation, click the "Yes" button on the confirmation message

You cannot cancel a new, active permit on the same day that you started it. If you need to do this, please send us an email for help. Any future permits may be cancelled before the permit is active.

Add a licence plate

Follow these steps to add a licence plate:

  1. click on the "Active Permits" tab
  2. find the permit to which you want to add a licence plate
  3. scroll to the last column on the right labelled "Action"
  4. click on the "Action" button to "Edit Permit"
  5. click on the "Add Plate" button (maximum of three plates per account)
  6. add your new plate details

Please note only one plate is allowed within the parking facility on any given day. If you park more than one vehicle on your account on the same day, you will incur extra charges.

Change your auto-renew status

Auto-renew is a function that will automatically extend your monthly permit and charge you payment method for all future months until you turn it off or cancel the permit.

All new parking permits are set to auto-renew at the start of each subsequent month. If you want to change this setting, find the permit you want to change under “Active Permits." Toggle auto-renew on or off.