I know what you’re thinking…. I need some cheap parking spots downtown and I hope this post provides me with all of them. Well, you came to the right place. My only fear is that my spots will be stolen. Without further delay, I present to you, “Stephan’s Ultimate Cheap Parking Guide”
40 Gerrard
40 Gerrard street east houses an underground parking garage with very reasonable rates starting at $5 for weekends & evenings and $14.75 for all day parking.
This place is great parking after 6pm ($5). Entering the lot between 4 – 7:59 am and leaving before 7pm qualifies you for a $9 early bird special. The daily maximum is $14.75 if you enter and exit between 8am and 7pm. The weekend parking is day and night flat rates of $5 each (4 am – 6pm or 6pm- 4am).
The downside to using this garage is that if you lose the ticket you obtain upon entrance you have to pay $50!! You also have to use credit to pay upon exit.
The street after 9pm
After 9pm parking on many municipal roads becomes free. Signs indicating paid parking hours which finish at 9pm imply free parking after that.
It is important to also read nearby signs which may mention prohibited parking times or the requirement of paid parking permits during particular hours (e.g. 12:01am-to 7am)
Parking tickets for parking in these spot during prohibited hours can cost you anywhere above $30.
These low-key night parking spots are great for responsible nights out in downtown Toronto or sleeping over at a friend’s place or hotel.
8am-6pm Monday – Saturday
All over Toronto you will find parking spots on streets which say no parking from 8am-6pm. The parking spots are usually okay to park in as long as you are not parking during the prohibited time.
Parking tickets for parking in these spot during prohibited hours can cost you anywhere above $50.
It is important to also read nearby signs which may mention prohibited parking times or the requirement of paid parking permits during particular hours (e.g. 12:01am – to 7am)
These low-key night parking spots are also great for responsible nights out in downtown Toronto or sleeping over at a friend’s place or hotel.
Ryerson Parking Lot
Similar to other paid parking lots, Ryerson offers rather affordable evening parking rates costing approximately $6 after 5:00 pm.
Ryerson also offers 3 parking lots which vary in price (2 on mutual street between dundas and gerrard and 1 on victoria st between gould and dundas). 2 of these parking lots are indoors which protects your vehicle from the environmental factors such as snow, rain and sunlight.
Loblaws / Longos
Need to do some quick shopping? Why not buy $20 worth of merchandise and keep your car at Longos or Loblaws for two hours. This is a great spot if you need to pick up some household items or food regardless.
For students who only have one 1 hour class for the entire day this is the perfect bargaining piece to get parents to toss over the car keys. If you want to be cheap about the parking operation you can get a refund before returning to your car.
Parking 1 hour
In various places downtown there are signs that permit you to park for 1 hour free. These parking spaces are very convenient and if you move your car to a different spot every hour you can try to avoid getting a ticket.
Friends 🙂
Friends with parking benefits can be very useful when your pockets are low and the need to park is high. Some condominiums offer free visitor parking multiple times per work so if finding parking downtown is something you struggle with try making some new friends!
Written by Stephan Allan, Health and Wellness Events Assistant, Ryerson Central Orientation Team
