Vancouver Solves Its Parking App Problem by Adding a Sixth Parking App

Vancouver drivers now have a sixth parking app to deal with, for real. The city approved the addition of HotSpot this week, a decision that has rekindled a familiar complaint from residents: paying for parking in Vancouver has become an exercise in app management.

The problem is the patchwork of apps you need on your phone. PayByPhone handles most city streets, but head to Queen Elizabeth Park, Stanley Park, or the beaches and you’ll likely need something else. Many of those lots fall under EasyPark, which operates separately despite being majority-owned by the city. Factor in HonkMobile, HangTag, and Indigo Neo and you’ve got a situation where finding a spot is the easy part (and it normally isn’t to begin with). The worst part is if you are a tourist and you happen to lack data or Wi-Fi nearby to download an app and register an account.

Vancouver Sun columnist Dan Fumano told CBC News that the real frustration hits when drivers are in a hurry, pull into an unfamiliar lot, and realize they need to download yet another app and enter their credit card details before they can walk away from the car. City councillors say it’s one of the most consistent complaints they hear.

City officials defended the HotSpot approval by arguing that redundancy is a feature, not a bug. If one platform goes down, others can pick up the slack. Critics aren’t buying it. They point to the United Kingdom, where a national parking platform lets competing apps talk to each other, so drivers only need one account regardless of where they park.

Meanwhile, the city is doing just fine financially. Parking revenue is projected to hit a cool $90 million this year, up 10 to 12 percent from last year, making it one of the more quietly lucrative parts of how Vancouver funds itself. For now, that folder full of parking apps on your phone isn’t going anywhere, sadly. Only in Vancouver, folks.