PARKING APP DOCUMENTATION
Please find below instructions on how to register for and purchase parking at St. Mary’s University
As part of the 24/25 budget, the Board of Governors has approved the introduction of paid parking on our campus for all staff, faculty, students and guests to campus. This decision was not taken lightly as we understand that nobody likes increasing costs. However, the university had reached a point that we needed to implement paid parking in order to:
- ensure the continued maintenance of our parking facilities, which currently cost about $60,000 per year, which comes out of tuition;
- provide an additional revenue stream for the institution to balance our budget;
- address pressure from the Ministry of Advanced Education to cover a greater amount of our costs;
- be consistent with the cost of neighboring parking as well as parking at all of the Post Secondary Institutions across Calgary; and,
- to promote sustainability goals of using transit or other means of transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
What is now the cost of parking?
Parking rates at St. Mary’s University will be as follows:
- Daily Rate: $7
- Monthly Rate: $70
- Yearly Rate: $700
When will paid parking take effect on campus?
Paid parking implementation has been deferred and will now take effect October 1, 2024.
Will there be reserved spots?
Only the spots currently reserved on campus (visitor, accessible parking spots) will be reserved. We will still be reserving the location for the Access Bus to pick-up and drop-off students who utilize that service.
Will there be a grace period for pick-ups and drop-offs??
Yes. There will be a grace period of 15 minutes for pick-ups and drop-offs on campus.
Will the parking lot remain in its current state?
A paving project took place during the summer of 2024 with improvements to drainage and the addition of a few additional parking spaces. Given the current volume of cars parking at the University, we will likely have to continue with some cars parking on the grass. Cars parked on the grass will be subject to the same parking rates as all other cars. From an environmental and sustainability point of view, we are hoping to reduce the number of cars on campus.
Are St. Mary’s parking rates comparable with other Calgary post-secondary institutions??
St. Mary’s University’s parking rates are lower than the other post-secondary institutions located in Calgary. Daily parking at the U of C on campus is $9 to $24 per day depending on the lot, $494 to $600 per semester and $1,482 to $1,925 per year. Daily parking at the MRU on campus is $7 to $19.00 per day depending on the lot, $394 to $600 per semester and $1,380 to $1,800 per year.Daily parking at Ambrose is $14 day and $125/month.
What process was followed for the implementation of paid parking?
Parking fees were part of the 2024/25 budget process which was approved by the St. Mary’s University Board of Governors in mid-April 2024.
If I drive to school, can I opt out of the UPass, which I pay for in fees?
No, you can not opt out of UPass as Calgary Transit offer this on the basis that all students at a post-secondary institution are subject to the charge. Calgary Transit has teamed up with post-secondary schools in Calgary to offer students a reduced fare based on a four month semester. The premise of UPass is that Calgary Transit would collect the same amount of fare revenue from a universal charge to all students as we would if individual students were to purchase an adult monthly pass.
The UPass is currently available on My Fare for post-secondary students at five major schools in Calgary: SAIT, University of Calgary, Mount Royal University, Alberta University of the Arts, and St. Mary’s University.
Who does the parking fee apply to?
The parking fee applies to all faculty, staff, and students of St. Mary’s University as well as all visitors to campus.
What hours during the day and weekends is paid parking in effect?
The parking fees will be in effect Monday to Friday 7:00AM to 8:00PM and Saturday from 7:00AM to 4:00PM.
Can you register multiple plates?
Yes. A monthly or annual parker may register multiple plates.
How can people purchase parking permits?
Parking permits can be purchased online by scanning the QR code on the parking signs around the parking lots, downloading the HotSpot Parking application from the Google Play or Apple App store or by going to https://hotspotparking.com/.
Can parking payment be done by payroll deduction for staff and faculty?
Only annual parking passes can be done through payroll deduction, resulting in $29.17 per paycheque. ($700 divided by 24 paycheques).
Where can I park with my new parking permit?
With your St. Mary’s University parking pass you are able to park in any spot not labelled as visitor or accessible parking.
What kind of enforcement or penalties will be levied against those who park without permits?
At launch, St. Mary’s will take more of an educational approach for the community as we all get used to this new policy. As we progress, tickets ($25) will be issued to cars that have not paid for parking.
Where can I direct my questions or concerns regarding this matter?
Please submit all questions or concerns regarding the new paid parking policy or other parking related issues to parking@stmu.ca.