Dozens of lifetime parking passes handed out by Toronto's parking authority

TORONTO -

The City of Toronto’' parking authority has handed out dozens of lifetime parking passes to board members and long-time employees in a practice some say is a reward for dedicated service — but others say is a taxpayer-funded perk.

Sixty-nine long-serving employees are currently receiving lifetime parking privileges, which can be given out to employees who have at least 20 years of service.

And five former board members still have lifetime passes because they were given as an award, so they survived a cull a few years ago after a review by city hall curbed the practice.

Together, those lifetime passes are estimated to cost some $15,000 in 2022. That’s on top of the 19 city councillors who receive annual passes at a cost of $2,500, and the current staff and board who receive annual passes worth $200,000, a city report said.

The mayor does not receive a parking pass.

One of those merit-based recipients is Toronto lawyer Alan Heisey, who served on the board of the Toronto Parking Authority for six years and oversaw major changes while the city’s services amalgamated.

In an interview, Heisey said he presided over a period of great change at the parking authority, pointing to the introduction of the solar-powered display machines and the replacement of parking meters by bicycle stands.

“We increased the supply of bicycle parking substantially and we also increased the supply of parking for motor vehicles. It was a win-win on every level,” Heisey recalled.

He said he was called many years ago by the chair of the board about the offer to have a permanent, lifetime pass.

“I appreciated it. It was a recognition for what I’d done. The funny thing was he laughed at it when he told me about it because I had ridden my bicycle to every meeting of the parking authority that I’d been there, winter, spring, summer, and fall.

“It wasn’t tremendously valuable to me but it was a nice statement of appreciation,” he said.

The TPA isn’t the only city agency that gives out lifetime passes — the TTC gives long-time employees lifetime transit passes.

In 2017, there were almost 6,000 former employees using their lifetime passes.

And Toronto’s Zoo has given out 150 lifetime zoo passes to long-time employees since 2006. 

Current TPA board members get an annual pass, which only lasts as long as they serve. So do all city councillors, though six have declined them.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federations’ interim Ontario director, Jay Goldberg, said the pass should only apply insofar as the parking is related to the job.

He compared private sector rules where an employee could get reimbursed for parking that’s related to work, but would have to pay for parking outside of work.

“There needs to be very clear guidelines about who gets these passes and if you’re not using it on a regular basis for work, you shouldn’t get it at all,” he said.