Parking for Central Elgin residents in Port Stanley has been a topic of discussion that I want to highlight. I will promote 2 free yearly Port Stanley parking permits for each household in Central Elgin. These permits would be registered through the Municipality, and linked to your vehicle license plates. 

A question I've been hearing from you about this goal: "How will that many free passes for residents impact our Municipality financially?" 

Last year, $870,000 was generated from paid parking in Port Stanley. From that total, $420,000 was spent on lifeguards alone. There were also expenses for beach cleanup, washroom maintenance, parking lot and meter maintenance, and bylaw enforcement. In the 5 years of paid parking initiatives, Central Elgin has invested over $1 million into the Parking Reserves. 

The sales of Central Elgin residential parking passes only generated less than 3.5% of that $870,000. In the scope of the total, this is actually quite a minimal amount. All things considered, it is a very reasonable proposal to offer 2 passes at no cost to all Central Elgin households. This will enhance accessibility for Port Stanley businesses without negatively impacting the overall income for the Municipality generated from the remaining sale of additional passes.  

We love where we live, and every resident deserves the opportunity to enjoy all that Central Elgin has to offer with less barriers.