Parker 1st Quarter 2021

PARKER 1ST QUARTER 2021

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TIMES HAVE CHANGED. YOUR PARKING, MOBILITY, AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS HAVE TOO. Whether you’re a large campus with tens of thousands of permitted parkers or a small municipality with a few blocks of on-street spaces, T2 has an industry-leading suite of solutions to help you generate revenue and make every trip a smooth journey for your patrons. From LPR access and enforcement solutions to contactless and mobile payment options to a full-service citation collection department that collects at 3x the industry standard rate, we give you all the tools and support you need to manage resources, achieve goals, and empower consumers with choices.

MOBILE LPR ENFORCEMENT

FIXED LPR FOR PARCS

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CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS

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DATA & ANALYTICS

800.434.1502 T2Systems.com

IN THIS ISSUE

8 Data is the Key to Modernizing Curbside Management By Adam Wenneman

13 The Canadian Parking Association Awards

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1ST QUARTER 2021

23 CPA Partnership Program 24 Everywhere at Once: Virtualizing the Customer Experience By Adamo Donatucci

14 Stall-Based Monitoring, the Key to Progressive Urban Parking Solutions By Ryan Hickey

18-19 2021 Conference & Trade Show Vancouver, BC

28 The Canadian Parking Association’s Management Training and Certification 30 Welcoming Members to the CPA 31 CPA Scholarship Program

20-22 SAFEPARK™ Program By Carole Whitehorne

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OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

TREASURER

DIRECTORS

Janice Legace City of Fredericton legacej@fredericton.ca

Brett Bain Edmonton Airports bbain@flyeia.com

Nigel Bullers EasyPark nigel@easypark.ca

VICE PRESIDENT

PAST PRESIDENT

Alex MacIsaac University of Toronto a.macisaac@utoronto.ca

Daniel Germain Indigo Park Canada Inc. daniel.germain@parkindigo.com

SECRETARY

Ralph Bond BA Consulting Group Ltd. bond@bagroup.com

Frank Cavaliere RJC Engineers fcavaliere@rjc.ca Sam Cusick AIMS (EDC) Corp. sam@aimsparking.com

CPA STAFF

Sharon Lewinson ACT Canada info@actcanada.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Anna Marie O’Connell City of Guelph annamarie.oconnell@guelph.ca Randy Topolniski Winnipeg Parking Authority randytopolniski@winnipeg.ca

Nick Spensieri City of Vaughan Reachel Knight nick.spensieri@vaughan.ca Calgary Parking Authority Reachel.knight@calgaryparking.com

Carole Whitehorne 613 727 0700 x 10 carole@canadianparking.ca MEMBERSHIP & EVENTS COORDINATOR

Patty Kettles 613 727 0700 x 12 patty@canadianparking.ca DESIGN & COMMUNICATIONS

Brenda Hanna 613 727 0700 x 15 brenda@canadianparking.ca

OpinionsandrecommendationsprovidedbycontributorstoPARKERarenotnecessarilythoseoftheCanadianParkingAssociation.TheCanadianParkingAssociationdoesnotendorseorassumeanyresponsibility fordamagesarisingfromtheuseorapplicationofanyoftheequipment,services,technology,oropinionsexpressed,discussedoradvertisedinPARKER.TheCanadianParkingAssociationassumesno responsibility for errors or omissions in materials submitted for publication by vendors or authors of articles. LesopinionsetrecommandationsfourniesparlescollaborateursduPARKERnesontpasnécessairementcellesdel’AssociationCanadienneduStationnement.L’AssociationCanadienneduStationnement n’endossepasetn’assumeaucuneresponsabilitépourdesdommagesquirésulteraientdel’utilisationoudel’applicationdetoutéquipement,service,toutetechnologieouopinionexprimés,discutésouannoncés dansLEPARKER.L’AssociationCanadienneduStationnementn’assumeaucuneresponsabilitépourdeserreursouomissionsdanslesmatériauxsoumispourpublicationparlesmarchandsouauteursd’articles. PublicationsMailAgreementNo.40026129|ReturnUndeliverableCanadianAddressesto:CanadianParkingAssociation,350–2255St.LaurentBlvd.,Ottawa,ONK1G4K3|email:info@canadianparking.ca

PARKER | 1ST QUARTER 2021

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Registration is Open

PLANNING IS UNDERWAY! Located in downtown Vancouver, BC, the Hyatt Regency will be the headquarters for this conference and trade show event. There are many details being fine-tuned to provide attendees the best conference and trade show experience ever. As the program evolves, updates can be tracked at:

canadianparking.ca/vancouver2021

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| FROM THE EDITOR CAROLE WHITEHORNE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

C

an you believe we are more than a year into a world pandemic and still looking for the end of being isolated from friends, family, and colleagues; lockdowns; a tanking economy and most concerning, a vaccine rollout that seems to be plagued with problems right from procurement to the ‘jab’. I don’t know about you, but I’m fed up with government leaders dancing around the political Maypole and still only spew inconsistent messaging that keeps us all in a spin. Come on folks. To the inconsiderate who refuse to be ‘told what to do’, and to the leaders who cannot figure out what to tell them to do in the first place, I urge you to pull it together and let’s get this under control once and for all! There, that is my rant. I know I’m not alone in the fog of COVID, but it feels good to hit the pressure valve occasionally!

the future. Our thanks to eleven-x for sponsoring a recent Curbside Chat, which drew a lot of interest from attendees.

I recently read an interesting editorial about a classic parking problem forming in an unsuspecting corner of the world. If you have ever had the good fortune to be in Newfoundland, you know of their quaint harbours and villages. Brigus is making a name for itself on the new HGTV show Rock Solid, and now the village of Quidi Vidi is making parking news. Yes, the same old problems – tourists blocking roads and trails to get to this fabulous little harbour for excellent craft beers and lunch at The Cottage. Google it if you haven’t heard of the place. Locals have created a jewel in this small cove with typical Newfie hospitality and astounding good food and drink, in a place commonly referred to as ‘the Gut’. It was inevitable that the popularity of this little treasure would become plagued with parking issues! I would be happy to form a team of parking professionals to conduct an in-depth ‘parking study’ over some cold pints and cod tongues, but alas, they have locked us all out of their bubble!

Calling on all Partners! The CPA has launched a new partnership opportunity for companies who want to become leaders in the Canadian parking industry by pledging their support. Many valuable benefits come with each category. If you would like to explore the options, feel free to contact me any time. Let's extend a warm welcome and thank you to T2 Systems, who have become the CPA's first Partner in 2021.

On the CPA front, we are pleased to be able to engage members with our series of virtual roundtable sector meetings and the Curbside Chats while we wait for the return of in-person events. There have been some lively and informative discussions over the past few months with some great ideas emerging that are sure to drive the industry into

Speaking of in-person meetings, we are forging ahead with the 38th Annual Conference & Trade Show in Vancouver this coming October 3 – 5. Rest assured, we have a close watch on the developments of the vaccine rollout vs the variants and will only proceed if the numbers are in our favour. There are some hot deals to be had for delegates who register by May 15, and airfare right now has never been more affordable. Last check, flights as cheap as $250 - $500 round trip from Toronto – Vancouver are being offered, some fully refundable and/or no change fees. If you plan to come to Vancouver to take part, book now to grab these fares while they last.

The newly updated Parking Management Certification program has taken off, with several new graduates and past graduates who have recertified. You can read about them further in this issue. Special thanks to Cody Clark from Crombie REIT, who was the first candidate to complete the new program and successfully pass the examination, all while helping us to work out a few bugs.

Last check, flights as cheap as $250 - $500 round trip from Toronto – Vancouver are being offered, some fully refundable and/or no change fees. If you plan to come to Vancouver to take part, book now to grab these fares while they last.

So now that spring is in the air, I wish you all continued health and safety as we make our way through the vaccine season, and I hope we can meet again in person in October. I miss you all! n

Carole Whitehorne, Executive Director

PARKER | 1ST QUARTER 2021

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| FROM THE PRESIDENT JANICE LEGACE, PRESIDENT

Hello, fellow parking professionals.

I

t is 2021 and we are still here. Amen to that. I’m sure we are all feeling a little battle worn now with a touch of melancholy or even boredom. I get it. Our world has been pretty small lately. I read recently that we’ve been disrupted for over a year now, and our fight-orflight stress response has been in gear for the duration. We’ve pushed through this, we changed how we do business, we’ve had to accelerate our learning, we’ve followed ever-changing rules, we’ve adjusted our personal lives, worried a lot, stayed away from the people we love and it is not over yet. Sigh. As things continue to be uncertain, that energy we were full of going into this pandemic seems is waning. This is a very normal reaction. We just need to acknowledge it and cut ourselves a break. We should extend the same kindness to the people we work with.

Our big news is that we’ve decided to move forward with planning the 2021 conference to be held in October 3-6 in beautiful Vancouver.

To get myself back on track, I think happy thoughts. Lately, there seems to be a lot of good things to talk about. How many of you have avoided a bad cold or flu this winter? How many of you know someone who have had their vaccines? Eventually, we will all have our turn. And the longer the pandemic lasts, the more amenable people are to getting the vaccine. Canada-wide, we’ve had an unseasonably mild winter and the days are getting longer. It won’t be long before I can put my winter coat and boots away. Remember the warning that autonomous vehicles were going to be disrupting our business starting in the early 20’s, making it very difficult for us to predict and plan for those drastic parking market changes? That didn’t transpire. The latest Gartner Hype cycle report shows that the autonomous

PARKER

EDITOR Carole Whitehorne carole@canadianparking.ca | 613-727-0700 x 10

STAY CONNECTED WITH THE CPA

ADMINISTRATION patty@canadianparking.ca | 613-727-0700 x 12

www.canadianparking.ca/contact

DESIGN AND MARKETING brenda@canadianparking.ca | 613-727-0700 x 15

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vehicle has moved from the “Peak of Inflated Expectations” to the “Trough of Disillusionment”. Someone figured out that there is a lot more work to do. This is good, we weren’t ready. (I don’t know how to imbed a link to a website but the reference for the Gartner Hype cycle is at the end of this letter). On the business side of things, the Board of Directors recently had two long afternoons’ worth of Zoom meetings. We accomplished all we had hoped to with everyone getting a word in, influencing and helping with decisions. We’ve had a lot of practice doing virtual meetings and it shows. Our big news is that we’ve decided to move forward with planning the 2021 conference to be held in October 3-6 in beautiful Vancouver. We think every organization will move their in-person to the late fall so, please hold these dates for us. Toni Morrison wrote in her book Sula, “it is sheer good fortune to miss somebody long before they leave you”. We’ve been given a gift. When the world opens up again, we will see our dear family, our old friends, and all those places we’ve missed and they will be immensely appreciated. I can’t wait. n

Janice Legace, President

Distribution: 2,000

RESERVE YOUR ADVERTISING SPACE TODAY! Call 613-727-0700 Ext. 12 for more details

2021 Partners The value that our Partners bring to the Canadian Parking Association cannot be understated. We cannot express the gratitude we feel for having strong partners take the lead in supporting the CPA in achieving its vision to “bring together professionals from across a broad spectrum of the parking and mobility industries to network, provide training, develop and adapt new technologies and enhance customer experiences for the betterment of our communities and industry.” Thank you!

ASSOCIATE PARTNER T2 Systems is the largest parking, mobility, and transportation provider in North America, with more than 25 years in the parking industry and currently serving thousands of parking professionals. T2 strives to make every trip a smooth journey by streamlining the parking, mobility, and transportation experience with technology solutions that help universities, municipalities, operators, healthcare campuses, and transportation hubs manage resources, achieve goals, and empower consumers with choices.

Connecting Parking & Mobility Professionals in Canada

canadianparking.ca/events

PARKER | 1ST QUARTER 2021

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Data is the Key

to Modernizing Curbside Management By Adam Wenneman

The curbside is one of the most poorly understood parts of the municipal right-of-way. On the one hand, it’s a huge piece of municipal infrastructure that is essential to the urban transportation landscape, supporting billion-dollar industries like goods movement and ride sharing. On the other, it is a scarce – and diminishing – resource whose management principles remain rooted in 20th century technologies. In a time where curbside uses are growing to include expanded patios, dedicated courier loading zones, and other temporary uses, cities need to leverage innovations in collecting, managing, and sharing curb data to improve the efficiency of operations at the curbside.

The Curbside is a Critical Municipal Asset The curbside is a major piece of infrastructure for every municipality. Across Canada, on-street parking represents 1 upwards of 20% of a city’s total parking supply . In some cities, like Saskatoon or St John’s, on-street parking constitutes almost all of the downtown parking supply. In downtown Hamilton alone, there is room for over 1,100 parking spaces at the curbside – that’s an area equivalent to the size of ten NHL-sized ice rinks. Efficient operation of this space is an important factor in a city’s ability to support the future of urban mobility. Despite its considerable supply, the curbside remains a limited and scarce resource at a time where demand for curb space is at an all-time high. The curbside is a limited resource in that its supply cannot grow substantially in urban areas with well-defined built environments and road networks. At the same time, cities are beginning to repurpose the curbside and even entire roadways for alternative uses like active transportation, outdoor 2 dining, and shared community space . Make no mistake – increasing the amount of green, livable space in a city can have major benefits for residents – but that said, further reduction of

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the supply of curb space means cities need to do even better in effectively managing what space remains. For its considerable use of curbside space, many Canadian municipalities rely on paid on-street parking as a major revenue stream. On-street parking is revenue positive in nearly every municipality where on-street parking is paid, and the average Canadian municipality can expect to generate an average of $2 for 3 each $1 invested in parking operations . In addition to funding the operation and maintenance of parking management departments, this revenue flows back into municipal governments and supports all of the other services that local municipalities provide. Beyond just paid parking, the curbside is also an important access point for the goods movement industry. The curbside constitutes the last link in the ‘last mile’ for deliveries in urban areas, connecting raw materials to the end consumers of goods and services. Given the strong ties between increasing density, population and employment growth, and the growth of commercial vehicle delivery, ensuring that delivery vehicles can access the curbside effectively will

be a major factor in determining a city’s long-term sustainability. Despite the function they provide being critical to the liveability of cities, commercial vehicles and the goods movement industry face significant challenges operating at the curb. In Toronto alone, commercial vehicles are issued nearly $30M in parking 4 fines each year . Given the low-margin, cost-competitive

nature of the goods movement industry, the burden of these costs is mostly passed to consumers, resulting in higher prices for goods and services and an increase in the cost of living. If commercial vehicles in the future are unable to operate efficiently in urban areas, cities as we experience them today may no longer exist.

PUBLIC PARKING SUPPLY PER JOB 2 IN THE CBD

The Curbside is Changing Despite its important role in supporting urban mobility and the economy, curbside management practices have remained largely unchanged since the installation of the 5 first parking meter in Oklahoma in 1935 . Since 1935, uses of the curbside expanded to a comfortably uniform standard: paid parking for highturnover streets, free parking in less busy areas, and the occasional taxi stand or delivery zone where demand dictated. Managing these uses was relatively simple and space was plentiful, so there was no need for more than the simplest of management systems here. This pattern of curbside uses continued well into the 21st century, but technological innovations in the

past decade have caused tremendous growth in both the demand for space among existing users, and the number of new and unique uses for the curbside. Today, transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft together complete more than 15 million daily rideshare trips globally – picking up and dropping off passengers anywhere on the curbside that they can find a spot due to the scarcity of passenger 6 loading zones . At the same time, delivery vehicles have overwhelmed unpaid commercial loading and no parking zones alike as they rush to meet the ever-growing demand for at-the-door delivery service.

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THE SHAREDSTREETS CURBWHEEL

These trends have only been accelerated in 2020 by the impacts of COVID-19. The allocation of curb space has expanded to include loading zones for curbside pickup, wider sidewalks to support social distancing, and patios on sidewalks or on on-street parking spaces. When more than the curbside needed changing, entire streets were repurposed to encourage active transportation while supporting social distancing measures. Almost overnight, huge portions of the curbside were transformed from places to park, stop, or stand to places to sit, walk, and eat.

The first step a municipality should take down this path is to digitize their existing curb regulations to form a digital ‘curb layer’.

These new and growing uses for the curbside have caused the demand for curb space to exceed its supply, resulting in inefficient use as users compete for limited

space with limited information. Commercial vehicles park illegally and accept fines instead of spending time searching for loading zones, passenger vehicles cruise endlessly for parking, and the ever-growing list of alternative users for curb space fight for what little space remains. For every user of the curbside, accessing and understanding information about how and where they can access the curbside is the primary roadblock to using curb space effectively. To better prepare for the future, cities need to be able to communicate curbside regulations to users as quickly as uses and designations of space change.

Data to Enable Modern Municipal Curbside Management In understanding the issues facing the modern curbside, one question becomes apparent: in the face of growing demand for space and limited supply, how can municipalities manage curbside operations to improve efficiency? The answer to this question comes down to information and making that information accessible to users. Today, curbside regulations are only presented via on-street signage that is frequently difficult to understand, sometimes obscured or damaged, and only available once a user has arrived at the curb. If we could provide this information to users at an earlier point in their journey, we could eliminate cruising for parking, help commercial vehicles quickly find dedicated loading spaces, and make more efficient use of limited curbside space.

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The first step a municipality should take down this path is to digitize their existing curb regulations to form a digital ‘curb layer’. Simply put, a curb layer is a machine-readable, geospatially referenced dataset that can be used to understand the relationships between curbside regulations. A curb layer consolidates information already provided in generally inaccessible formats such as municipal bylaws, signage inventories, and regulation orders, into a consistent and structured format that can be made accessible to users when and where they need it most. The process of creating a curb layer is simple, with a range of solutions that can be tailored to meet the needs of municipalities of all sizes. These solutions start

with simple open source tools, like the SharedStreets CurbWheel. CurbWheel uses a typical measuring wheel, a simple single-board computer for processing, and a smartphone for taking pictures of street signs. There are step-by-step instructions to get started building the tool and collecting data with minimal effort. Using CurbWheel, we estimate municipalities can create a curb layer of existing regulations for small areas with costs as low as $25 per curb kilometre. For larger areas where walking a curb would be too time consuming or expensive, IBI Group has developed software solutions that build on existing assets to consolidate 7,8 curbside regulations into a curb layer automatically . These solutions vary in complexity, from cleaning existing data sets to collecting street sign imagery and applying machine learning categorization methods but can help cities create complete and accurate curb layers no matter what existing curb regulation data they have.

Once this data is collected, municipalities can take advantage of curb management tools like CurbIQ’s Curb Viewer or Curb Manager to help them understand, 8 manage, and analyze this data. These tools go beyond existing Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and help staff manage even the most complex situations where many regulations overlap, or change at regular or irregular intervals. These tools can leverage a curb layer to quickly answer fundamental curbside management questions like ‘‘how do the regulations change on this block throughout the day?”, ‘‘do our no parking restrictions make sense?”, or even “if we added a bike lane here, how many parking spaces would we have within walking distance of a given location?”. One city using Curb Viewer was able to identify conflicts between, and gaps within, their existing regulations that they didn’t even know existed and would not have been able to identify with their old workflows.

CURBIQ’S CURB VIEWER TOOL PROVIDES A WEBBASED MAP TO FILTER AND SEARCH CURB REGULATIONS

Everyone Benefits from Proactive and Modern Curbside Management Beyond improving their own understanding of curbside regulations and improving their workflows for how regulations are managed, cities can also adopt modern solutions to share this data with curbside users to both improve operations and potentially generate new revenue streams. As Donald Shoup infamously estimated, as much as 30% of traffic in dense urban areas is made up of vehicles 9 cruising for parking . What if instead of cruising for parking, drivers could access information on the location of on-street parking near their destination, which is often available just around the corner or a short walk away? Giving drivers access to this information at the navigation or trip planning stages of their trip can have a

meaningful impact in reducing VKT and emissions associated with cruising for parking, resulting in less traffic and greener cities. The group with potentially the most to gain from improved access to curb data is commercial curbside users – comprised primarily of TNCs and couriers. These are two of the fastest growing users of curb space, but they pay little to nothing for that use in most cases. However, the lack of curb space allocated for these uses causes enormous user costs in the form of parking fines, time spent searching for available spaces, and managing customer complaints caused by delays. Instead, cities could establish programs that provide access to data on the location and/or availability of curbside space in

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If cities don’t adapt, curbside operations will become increasingly challenging and negatively impact the livability and affordability of urban areas.

exchange for a small fee paid on a per-trip basis. Such a system would convert costs already being paid by these users to deal with inefficient curbsides new revenue streams for cities while improving the efficiency of curbside operations for everyone.

Preparing for an Uncertain Future The curbside is a corner piece in the transportation puzzle, facilitating a wide range of uses by a growing number of users. However, accelerating growth in demand for curbside space and limited access to information has led to inefficient curbside operations. If cities don’t adapt, curbside operations will become increasingly challenging and negatively impact the livability and affordability of urban areas. But if they prepare themselves and harness solutions like digital curb layers and the new types of curb management practices that they enable, cities can adapt to the future of the curbside as quickly as it arrives. n

REFERENCES 1: Kriger, D., Rose, A., Baydar, E., Moore, J., Frank, L., Chapman, J., & Pisarski, A. (2015). Urban Transportation Indicators Fifth Survey. Ottawa: Transportation Association of Canada. 2: City of Toronto. (2020, November 27). COVID-19: ActiveTO. Retrieved from City of Toronto: https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19protect-yourself-others/covid-19-reduce-virus-spread/covid-19-activeto/ 3: Municipal Benchmarking Network Canada. (2018). 2018 MBNCanada Performance Measurement Report. Retrieved from http://mbncanada. ca/app/uploads/2019/11/2018-Parking.pdf 4: Wenneman, A. (2014). Commercial Vehicle Operations in Urban Areas: Identifying Policies to Reduce Negative Impacts. Toronto: University of Toronto Department of Civil engineering. 5: Coin-In-Slot Parking Meter Brings Revenue to City. (1935, October). Popular Mechanics, p. 519. Retrieved from https://books.google.ca/ books?id=wN8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA519&dq=Popular+Science+1935+pla ne+%22Popular+Mechanics%22&hl=en&ei=aJgvTv3XKdSgsQLVyIRv&sa= X&oi=book_result&ct=result&sqi=2&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=true

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6: MarketsandMarkets. (2019). Ride Sharing Market by Type, Car Sharing, Service, Micro-Mobility, Vehicle Type, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025. Retrieved from MarketsandMarkets: https:// www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/mobility-on-demandmarket-198699113.html#:~:text=The%20ride%20sharing%20 market%20is,and%20fall%20in%20car%20ownership. 7: IBI Group. (2020). CurbIQ by IBI Group. Retrieved from IBI Group: https://www.ibigroup.com/ibi-products/curbiq/ 8: IBI Group. (2020). CurbIQ - Understand, manage, and optimize your curbside. Retrieved from CurbIQ: https://curbiq.io/ 9: Shoup, D. C. (2006). Cruising for parking. Los Angeles: Department of Urban Planning, University of California.

CANADIAN PARKING ASSOCIATION

MEMBER AWARDS 2021 AWARD CATEGORIES

Contributing Member

Innovation in Parking & Programs

Open to individual members of the Canadian Parking Association who have demonstrated a continued commitment to the development of the image of parking as a professional industry by: • Excelling in their area of work and in their personal achievements; • Improving the value, efficiency and sustainability of the services they provide; • Participating in professional development activities which go beyond the average requirements; • Setting examples to which others aspire; • Developing a concept, process or procedure that enhances or improves the efficiency of an existing method that is adopted by their organization; • Showing evidence of leadership in the parking industry.

Parking Industry Business Excellence Open to CPA members in the Supplier, Consultant and Private Operator sectors who demonstrate continued commitment to the development and advancement of the parking industry by: • Developing innovative technological advancements in areas that support the parking industry (innovations should go far beyond marginal improvements in existing products and services and will be based on breadth and depth of impact on the parking industry). • Successfully satisfying client expectations in terms of product adaptation and reliable service excellence after sales; • Demonstrating excellence in entrepreneurship & business leadership; • Displaying commitment to the Canadian Parking Association through program participation and supporting development of new initiatives for members; • Demonstrating the ability to develop new products/services or make improvements to existing products/services through the application of an existing or new technology; • Applying innovative approaches to emerging trends which directly impact the parking industry.

Open to all members of the CPA who have operational processes, programs or technical innovations that exemplify the experience of innovation, economic results, benefits to its company or other groups in the community, and new developments that may be an advantage or value to others, all of which may represent new ideas or concepts, projects, or programs that benefit the parking profession and related sustainable programs.

Marketing & Communications For CPA members who create programs around value for customers, and/or highlighting the professionalism of the parking industry in the community, spotlighting outstanding marketing, promotional, public relations, and communications-outreach efforts in the parking industry and the communities served.

Parking Supervisor of the Year For parking supervisors in leadership positions at front line parking operations, who have made a marked difference through demonstrated solid leadership skills, guidance, and support of both the company and his/her direct reports.

Parking Staff Member of the Year Acknowledge an individual's exemplary customer service and demonstrated commitment to his/her team through actions above-andbeyond his/her job description.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: June 30, 2021 AWARD ELIGIBILITY

NOMINATIONS PROCESS

Only members of the Canadian Parking Association may submit a nomination, or be eligible to receive an award.

Information can be found on the CPA website at http://canadianparking.ca/cpa-awards/

PRESENTATION OF THE AWARDS Winners will be announced during the Annual Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver, BC, Oct 3-6, 2021.

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Stall-Based Monitoring, the Key to Progressive Urban Parking Solutions By Ryan Hickey

For many cities and municipalities, parking is at the center of their decision-making these days, whether it is from a revenue, usage patterns (current and future) or an operations perspective. As we move towards getting back to a new normal in 2021, the issues that were impacting the parking experience prior to COVID-19 are sure to resurface, perhaps with a slightly different appearance.

All too often, there was, and still is, a negative experience related to urban parking, with the majority of community members believing that parking resources are not meeting their needs. This perception is fueled by the length of time it can take citizens to find an available parking stall and is frequently used as the main metric for gauging whether a region has an efficient and sufficient supply of parking. When finding a possible solution, cities and municipalities must consider a large number of variables while planning out parking zones, including budgets, land use, and the overall community experience. Overall, this process becomes extremely overwhelming and can be exacerbated by inaccurate parking data supplied by outdated or inaccurate methods. Urban planners face a variety of challenges in collecting reliable and accurate parking data to improve overall parking user experiences. Presently, many decision makers are unable to form concrete plans towards improving their parking, due to a lack of real-time data availability, and ever-changing parking behaviours driven by COVID19. At a time when most individuals are working from home, it could be questioned whether there is a need for increased parking. In some areas of North America, it was noted that parking levels were at an all-time low, as citizens were encouraged to stay home and reduce unnecessary travel. For example, sensor data collected within Stratford, Ontario demonstrated a significant decrease in parking occupancy from March to April, dropping from 75 percent to just over 10 percent.

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In contrast, it can be speculated that parking demand will drastically increase as more individuals slowly return to working out of the home. As the vaccination process begins and individuals are welcomed back into the workplace and businesses restrictionfree, there is likely to be a rapid growth of single commuter vehicles taking up a greater proportion of urban parking lots and spaces. With the uncertainty of the future needs of urban parking, it can be difficult to gauge what assets are required to improve parking experiences, including designing new lots or repurposing existing assets. In a bid for answers, managers and planners have a wide variety of data sources to choose from, including parking pay meters, gate counts, and manual counting by parking attendants. Each poses its own limitation to providing accurate and reliable data, including lack of visibility, inability to analyze parking patterns 24/7, mechanical malfunctions, and loss of data from system crashes or reboots. As the demand for parking continues to change unpredictably, it is evident that urban planners and city parking organizations must secure an accurate method for tracking parking requirements and usage. With the help of reliable data sources, organizations can make well-informed decisions that satisfy all the necessary planning variables.

Parking Scenarios The majority of urban centres provide three options for parking including curbside parking, surface lot parking, and parkades. Citizens select their parking environment based on convenience and the vicinity to their destination. However, a vast majority report difficulty in finding available parking spaces across all options. On average, a driver can spend between ten to twenty minutes searching city blocks for an available spot, adding to roadway congestion and further reducing a municipality’s efficiency. Each of these three parking environments come with their own challenges in relation to securing accurate and consistent parking data. With surface-level lots, there is limited control of the entry and exit points, making it hard to count each user as they drive in and out without one controlled gateway. Due to

Collecting the Right Data Accurately and Cost-Effectively

the open nature of the parking lot, it can also be hard to track the use of the lots, as drivers could be entering simply to turn around or drop someone off before leaving again. Parkades pose a unique challenge due to the many obstructed sightlines and the inaccuracy of gates within the lots. Ultimately, the accuracy of data collection within parkades greatly affects revenue and wayfinding. Curbside parking, due to its exposure to the elements, can have a general overall negative experience with users and compliance without real-time monitoring can be difficult. It is evident that reliable and accurate real-time data collection is also needed on the street level to create a more positive parking experience.

Preference over 1 hour to 2 hour Customer

As city parking organizations look to improve the overall parking experience moving forward, accurate data collection is required to understand the needs of drivers within the region. In particular, when a city selects a specific data collection system, they should first ensure that it provides high accuracy, high reliability, and real-time, as well as historical, data collection. With the help of a highly cost-effective smart parking technology solution, cities will be better equipped to design a parking strategy that addresses local parking demand, supply, and market potential. Options for data collection methods include manual counting, parking gates/loops, pay meters, apps, video, or sensors. While each method has its own benefits, only sensors, with the potential to be combined with video/image processing, can offer necessary 24/7 analysis, complete data accuracy, reliability, real-time status updates, and stall-level data, unless multiple methods are combined. When looking at street-level parking lots, cities can consider a mix of stall occupancy sensors and image processing monitoring. Using both methods simultaneously ensures that cameras and videos can provide a cost-effective solution to monitoring the entire lot. Supplemented by individual stall sensors to track specialty stalls or stalls inside a camera’s blind spot, parking strategies can be built on data that is highly accurate and consistent.

Duration of Stay

Meanwhile, a cost-effective solution for curbside parking includes stall occupancy sensors. Accuracy and real-time are crucial here, in all types of weather and environments, and sensors can accurately detect in real-time whether a spot is currently occupied and for how long the stall is in use. Additionally, sensors have the capability to support improved parking compliance for timed stalls with real-time alerts. This functionality will improve parking turn-around and improve revenue for the municipality. Overall, cities cannot really rely solely on parking meters, which typically lack accuracy when it

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The maintenance and design of parking environments tend to be a large portion of every city’s budget; therefore, it is in the best interest of municipalities to seek out a data collection system that captures all the necessary performance indicators.

comes to true occupancy data and this has direct impact in skewing perceptions of overall parking trends across the city. Comparing sensors to other forms of parking data collection technology, it has been demonstrated many times over that the solution for many cities is to utilize stall-level sensors for accuracy and convenience. If other data collection methods are already present, including sensors will allow city planners to utilize a holistic approach in understanding parking trends and customer’s needs.

What Data Needs to be Collected? In order for city planners to design a parking strategy that can meet parking demand, supply, and future market potential, there are a few key data components that must be collected consistently. While the initial strategy may be to focus on the total number of parking spaces available and track how many are occupied at certain times to determine supply in relation to demand, this statistic is not indicative of real-time patterns and confounding variables. To design a more effective strategy, cities must be able to take into account the overall physical environment of the parking lot and the surrounding spaces, how attractive the parking lot is to users, what types of trips are being made when the lot is being used, what parking operations are in place at each lot, and how users are experiencing the lot on a day-to-day basis. Cities need to be able to track how long each driver uses the spot, times of day when parking is busier, and how walking distance to destinations and parking price affect parking volume. Being able to track throughout the entirety of a day in real-time and over a long period of time will provide planners with profiles on each lot, as well as various profiles of its users. This key information can be related to what businesses are located in each region and provide a deeper understanding as to what is attracting people into certain areas. Overall, there are three main metrics that are vital to designing a parking solution strategy including volume, occupancy, and customer mix (which is based on the duration of each stay). When understanding volume, parking planners should pay close attention to walking distances from the lot to local hotspots, price impacts, and demand, along with land use in relation to the parking location. All of these factors have a direct relation to parking volume and patterns should be closely analyzed to understand their effects throughout the year. Occupancy is vital, but cities should also focus on the intensity of occupancy and the length at which visitors tend to stay in their parking stalls. Finally, customer mix provides planners with more information on who is accessing which parking lots, at what

times, and whether demand varies according to a specific pattern throughout the year. In order to fully understand the customer mix, it is just as vital that cities recognize the parking lots that are generally underutilized, which can drive projects for further improvement. With stall-based sensors, cities are able to capture real-time and historical data that can highlight the trends and performance over time of parking locations. Through this in-depth data collection, cities can extrapolate why driving and parking behaviours may have changed and how cities need to modify their parking strategy accordingly. The most important factor to stall-level sensor data collection is the ability to track stall-specific traffic from one time frame to another, which allows for evidence-based decision-making. When tens of millions of dollars are required to initiate new parking projects, cities need data and to be certain of that data on which they are basing their decisions.

Sensors Provide ROI The use of sensor-based parking data collection has succeeded in a variety of major cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Los Angeles parking owners experienced an increase in revenue by 35% per month through the implementation of sensors. The use of this technology also allowed them to operate without parking attendants- lowering labour and enforcement costs. San Francisco, which is known for limited and expensive parking, also chose to adopt a stall-based sensor pilot program between 20112013. Implemented across 25% of the city’s metered parking lots, city officials reported an increase in net parking revenue which meter rates and garage rates dropped. While there were some challenges experienced in these early deployments, technology innovations and increased awareness have alleviated most of those obstacles. The maintenance and design of parking environments tend to be a large portion of every city’s budget; therefore, it is in the best interest of municipalities to seek out a data collection system that captures all the necessary performance indicators. With minimal maintenance required and the ability to support improvements for parking enforcement through alerting, sensors ensure reliable and continuous analysis of key parking variables for any city. With realtime stall-based sensors, cities have the opportunity to assess a wide variety of parking solution options and understand which parking variables directly affect their community. As a stand-alone solution, or in combination with other parking data collection methods, cities have the ability to maximize revenues and parking asset usage, while remaining in line with municipal budgets and improving public safety and wellbeing. n

Interested in learning more about stall-based monitoring and its benefits for a wide variety of parking environments? Visit eleven-x.com for more details.

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Unique requirements Changing demands Parking solutions for a digital world Leaders in smart parking. Scheidt & Bachmann’s future proof systems help you improve your operation and maximize revenues. Let’s talk. PLEASE CONTACT:

parkingsales@scheidt-bachmann-usa.com Blanden.James@scheidt-bachmann-usa.com (781) 272-1664 Iles.Chris@scheidt-bachmann-usa.com

REGISTRATION IS OPEN

The Canadian Parking Association is committed to deliver programs that ensure the CPA members keep pace with industry developments and continues to be recognized as valued contributors to the communities we serve. As the CPA and its members manoeuvre through the challenges and opportunities evolving since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we must diversify to bring relevant topics and trends to the forefront and find new opportunities to grow our businesses back to a sustainable position and beyond. The conference experience too, is evolving. With a full educational component, trade show exhibition and networking opportunities that are being organized with the highest health and safety protocols in place, you are invited to join your colleagues to discuss and explore the opportunities that the parking and mobility industry has in store. Don’t miss this chance to meet again in person and add your voice to the conversation. The setting is Vancouver, BC – one of Canada’s most beautiful cities. The Hyatt Regency Vancouver will be the site of conference events. A portion of the presentations will be recorded and available after the conference. Welcome to Vancouver and the new Parking Industry reality.

H O S T H O T E L A C C O M M O D AT I O N S Hyatt Regency Vancouver

655 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6C 2R7 Located in the heart of downtown, Hyatt Regency Vancouver is the perfect location to stay for both business and leisure travelers. Guests will enjoy easy access to exciting attractions, like the unique shops of Robson Street and Stanley Park. From the moment you arrive at our downtown Vancouver hotel near the Vancouver Convention Centre, you will feel right at home. Welcome to Hyatt Regency Vancouver!

Hotel Information

The Canadian Parking Association has negotiated a hotel rate starting at $239.00 per night at the Hyatt Regency. To Make Reservations Book online: Book Online Reservations Or call: 1-800-233-1234 Quote group code: G-CP21 Hyatt Regency Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be received by the hotel 24 hours prior to arrival date (before 4:00 pm PST) to avoid 1 night room and tax cancellation penalty.

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CONFERENCE PLANNER

MONDAY

OCTOBER 4

9:00 am – 10:00 am

General Session

Conference Planning is Underway! There are many details being fine-tuned to provide attendees the best conference and trade show experience ever. Times listed are approximate. As the program evolves, updates can be tracked at canadianparking.ca/planner2021/

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Educational Breakout Sessions 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Awards Luncheon 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Trade Show Exhibition 5:00 pm

Unscheduled evening

SATURDAY

OCTOBER 2

1 pm – 6 pm

Pre-conference event Tentative TBC

TUESDAY

OCTOBER 5

8:00 am – 8:30 am

Annual General Meeting 8:30 am – 10:00 am

SUNDAY

OCTOBER 3

8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Board of Directors Meeting 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Round Table Sector Meetings Airports, Hospitals, Municipalities, Universities/College Delegates participate in face-to-face discussions with peers from their sector to share information and experiences.

Educational Breakout Sessions 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Final Trade Show 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Educational Breakout Sessions 6:30 – 9:30 pm

Celebrating Success Social Event

Open to Sector members only. 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Welcome Reception and Keynote 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Trade Show Grand Opening The Opening Trade Show exhibition is a time to visit vendors and scope out the latest in innovation, technology, and to see what’s trending. Start the dialogue and set the pace for the sessions to follow while enjoying refreshments on the trade show floor.

WEDNESDAY

OCTOBER 6

9:00 am – 11:00 am

Board of Directors Meeting 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Technical Tour Tentative, TBC

8:30 pm

Unscheduled Evening

PARKER | 1ST QUARTER 2021

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AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR COMMUNITY The parking industry is dedicated to providing clean and sanitized parking operations for our employees and customers. Throughout the public health crisis of COVID-19, parking has responded with enhanced cleaning practices in accordance with CDC guidelines. Particularly during the re-opening of the economy, we as an industry stand together as a partner with our cities, communities, hospitals, businesses, airports, event venues, shopping retailers, and residences. Parking is an essential part of the journey and people’s daily travel. The parking industry recognizes that and takes great care with customers’ vehicles, keys, and belongings. Our commitment to safety and sanitization should be second to none. We anticipate that the sanitization guidelines in SAFEPARK™ will serve as an overall guideline for the parking industry, with the brand marks serving as a seal of parking clean for SAFEPARK™ and VALETSAFE™. FACILITYSAFE™ is the third pillar of the program, but there are only 2 marks in the interest of clarity and simplicity for the consumer. Guidance will evolve over time as additional information emerges from public health authorities and federal, state, and local governments. The parking industry promotes wellness with practices related to personal service, operations, facilities, and equipment. As North America gets back to business, the parking industry is taking proactive steps for enhanced sanitization. Led by prominent organizations in the industry, parking has formed a Blue-Ribbon Commission that has developed guidelines to aid parking operators in the public and private sector enhance their cleaning procedures.

Canadian Parking Association

National Parking Association

Carole Whitehorne, Executive Director

Christine Banning, IOM, CAE, President

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AN INDUSTRY-WIDE RESPONSE The National Parking Association (NPA) partnered with the Canadian Parking Association (CPA), parking industry professionals, trade groups and the insights of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety Hazard Administration (OSHA), Canadian Public Health Agency (CPHA), representatives from local government to establish a foundational guideline in the aftermath of COVID-19, to mitigate exposure to the virus. This guideline serves as the North American parking industry’s foundational set of recommendations for a basic level of care in supporting community wellness through sound sanitization practices. It sets the bar for industry self-regulation to serve the best interests of the communities in which it serves. State, provincial, and local officials may have re-opening guidance and outbreak guidance in communities you serve that may impact the timing and methods of getting back to business. For the most comprehensive and up to date COVID-19 resources and information for the parking industry visit the CPA or NPA website.

INTRODUCTION The SAFEPARK™ guidelines are a direct result of the impact of COVID-19. The guideline for enhanced sanitization establishes a working baseline for parking operators as a baseline for cleaning appropriately to the situation. The goal of the program is to provide information, guidance, access to government information sources, and a framework for analyzing your operation and instituting a framework for reopening and ongoing procedures — recognizing that the procedures vary by jurisdiction, regulation, and application.

FOUNDATIONAL GUIDANCE The NPA Blue Ribbon commission analyzed a variety of parking applications and practices with the intent of baseline guidance. Parking facilities, partners, government entities, or clients may require additional measures. This guideline is not intended to be all encompassing — rather a practical, applicable, and consistent way for the parking industry to act as good neighbor in the communities we serve.

WALK THROUGH A key step for every organization is to “walk through” the customer experience and identify touchpoints that require sanitization. This overall guideline frames nine basic areas to be addressed. The guideline then breaks into three smaller categories as guidance for valet parking, selfparking, and facilities. Each sub-section has specific recommendations unique to that application.

MODULAR GUIDELINES The guidelines are structured with the objective to permit different team members to work on enacting the guideline. Therefore, this structure makes it easier to delegate components of the program.

TEMPORARY VS. PERMANENT MEASURES Determine temporary and permanent measures for sanitization and put them in writing as a resource for your team, regulators, and clients. Document your approach in a written plan.

By participating in SAFEPARK™ your organization gets access to guidelines, resources and brand badges that communicate that your organization provides heightened sanitization to build public trust.

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9 PILLARS This voluntary program signifies the good neighbor behavior of the parking industry in looking out for the best interests of employees, customers, and asset owners in providing a clean and sanitized environment. By participating in the program and attesting to follow the guidelines, parking organizations can publicly display on reservation apps, on the company website, in RFPs, and other communication channels, that they are a proactive organization, focused on cleanliness, sanitization, and health in their day-to- day parking operations. Guidelines will evolve over time, as North America gets back to business and the knowledge on how to manage the coronavirus most effectively is developed. As a community the parking industry supports a proactive approach in safe handling of structures, vehicles, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

THE 9 PILLARS OF NPA SAFEPARK™ GUIDANCE 1 PLANNING: Maintenance of an employee wellness plan, sanitization plan and emergency plan. 2 CLEANING: Disinfecting and Sanitizing 3 DISTANCING: Safe Distancing and Protective Barriers 4 LOW CONTACT & NO CONTACT: Reduce customer touchpoints. 5 HEALTH: Personal Hygiene and Health Precautions 6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE): PPE Recommendations 7 ASSET OWNERS: Follow asset owner requirements consistent with OSHA and CDC. 8 COMMUNICATIONS/SIGNAGE: Effectively communicate policies to employees and customers. 9 TRAINING: Train employees on sanitization practices.

FOR MORE DETAILS, and to find out how Canadian Parking Association members can receive fee discounts, visit canadianparking.ca or call 613-727-0700.

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Partner with the CPA Announcing a new program to show your support for the Canadian Parking industry: Partner with the CPA to provide opportunities for growth in the coming years, bring more programming and education to CPA members and take your place as a leader in Canadian parking and mobility innovation. Options range from Corporate level partnerships to Conference sponsorship, and each comes with many valuable perks and benefits.

When we join together, we all win!

SUPPORT CANADA! Promote your business to the parking and mobility industries in Canada by joining the CPA Partnership Program. We are keen to form strong partnerships and work with you to understand how we can create an alliance that is mutually beneficial to both parties, as well as for members of the CPA and those attending our events.

What’s in it for you? Canadians are established as leaders in North America who embrace the development and use of technology in their daily activities, and the parking industry is at the top of this field. Partner with the CPA and gain exclusive access to this unique Canadian market and help our members to continue to be leaders of this important trend. Demonstrate pride in supporting a Canadian association that delivers many opportunities, including the Annual Conference and Trade Show, and connect with the serious buyers you are searching for. Members of the Canadian Parking Association and stakeholders who attend this annual event are the decision makers for their organizations. Time spent networking with these delegates produces significant opportunities for vendors. Solid relationships are forged with the right people, ensuring a significant ROI to partners and exhibiting companies.

Establish your organization as leaders by supporting business intelligence and knowledge that will shape the future of the industry, while addressing opportunities and disruptors! Provide mentorship in developing best practices, standards and growth for members who serve their communities through professional development opportunities offered to partners. Enjoy significant benefits such as reduced exhibit fees, marketing opportunities, local and virtual networking events and other features included in an annual partnership.

Partnership support establishes your company’s commitment to ensuring growth and profitability of this changing and diverse industry and puts your brand out front beyond the annual event through a targeted marketing program specific to the Canadian parking and mobility industry.

Download the Partnership Prospectus Document PARKER | 1ST QUARTER 2021

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Everywhere at Once: Virtualizing the Customer Experience By Adamo Donatucci

Like any industry heavily reliant on technology, the urban mobility marketplace continues to evolve with advances in available and emergent technologies. Today, it is common for owners and operators to use technology to engage their customers virtually while retaining an element of personalized interaction.

During the COVID-19 global pandemic, the healthcare industry has proven to be a fascinating case study in the application of advanced parking technology to support the vertical’s broader goals of increasing staff and patient safety while simultaneously reducing hospitals’ and clinics’ capital and operating costs. Virtualization of the customer experience was driven initially by market preferences for technology-forward service solutions that generated value for parking operators by reducing overall expenses without sacrificing the high level of service that draws traffic to their facility. While this remains an important consideration today, the COVID-19 global pandemic has accelerated efforts to provide the services people need at a distance that keeps them safe. Early efforts to virtualize the customer experience centered around providing lower-cost alternatives to on-site staffing by directing intercom calls from an attendant’s desk to an off-site monitoring station to save on staffing costs. Today’s technology gives parking operators the flexibility to deploy AI-driven kiosks that assist users to navigate large and

complex facilities; in some deployments, this includes turnby-turn directions back to their car based on the license plate number they enter. With a greater-than-ever demand for touchless access solutions, parking operators are developing new systems that let users interact with the equipment without ever coming into contact with it; some suppliers have even found ways of integrating gestures to activate ticket dispensing and are leveraging Bluetooth Low Energy technology for permitted access. And just arriving on the market are technology integrations that begin the virtual customer experience before drivers even arrive at a parking facility; the same technology that is being launched to create reservations for gated facilities is being tweaked to control peoples’ access to the facilities themselves. With all these exciting developments in technology, parking facilities are becoming more sophisticated and promising greater customer experiences all the while continuing to deliver exceptional value to owners and operators.

Remote Customer Service | Support at a Distance Staffing a parking facility 24/7 can get expensive, especially when you need to build into your schedule redundancies for breaks as well as sick days and vacation days. And as parking equipment becomes increasingly reliable and customer preferences shift more and more to electronic payments, it is harder than ever to justify this expense, especially outside of core business hours when there is even less for staff to do.

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Still, the occasional issue does come up: a driver doesn’t know where to scan their validation or is tapping their credit card on the wrong panel at a pay station. Using IP-based technology, parking equipment suppliers can outfit your operation with intercoms and CCTV cameras that let specially trained staff see and speak to your customers to assist them in using your equipment, adding a more personal

touch compared to general usage instructions posted somewhere near the equipment. These staff can either be located in a central parking office that oversees your entire complex or be located at your supplier’s headquarters and follow SOPs specific to your site. In either case, remote customer service gives you the flexibility to staff more efficiently without sacrificing the quality of service, whether you want to cover breaks, offer off-peak support, or replace on-site staff altogether. For those drivers who are accustomed to seeing parking attendants, this service can seem a bit too remote, which is why most hospitals continue to staff their parking operations at a minimal level to assist elderly patients and visitors. But with the reliability of modern parking equipment, it is becoming increasingly difficult to staff attendants, even to perform “Level 1”

service and maintenance. Particularly as touchless technologies grow in popularity among consumers, even ticket replenishment and clearing jams are a thing of the past in many deployments. And as it becomes less financially viable to retain staff in parking facilities, each remaining attendant is responsible for a larger area within a facility, making them more difficult to track down if there is an issue. By contrast, remote customer service gets drivers in touch with support more quickly, which results in higher satisfaction ratings among facility users. Where service calls are still necessary, the same agents that respond to customer queries via the intercom can remotely monitor system alarms and dispatch technicians to address issues that cannot be cleared remotely.

AI-Driven Solutions | Self-Serve Options Self-serve kiosks powered by artificial intelligence have found increased use in hospitals over the last few years. Hospitals and their associated parking operations are often large and complex affairs, and kiosks with preloaded maps are a useful tool to direct patients and visitors to their destination; the wages saved by not staffing dedicated positions to provide this level of assistance easily offset the one-time investment in the technology platform, and perhaps more importantly still, reducing in-person interactions in hospital settings has benefits for the health and wellbeing of staff and patients alike.

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Touchless access solutions remain an integral part of on-site automation, and with greater awareness of the health implications of facilities’ common touchpoints and trepidation regarding in-person interactions, interest in these technologies continues to grow.

Beyond simply displaying maps, these kiosks can be leveraged to provide turn-by-turn directions through the facility to guide patients to their appointment somewhere within the complex; in applications that are integrated with license plate recognition software, these automated stations can direct you back to the exact location where you have parked. By reducing the possibility of confusion among patients and visitors not familiar with the layout of the facility, these kiosks help them spend less time in the hospital and to take more direct routes through it, minimizing further still the risks associated with being in a healthcare facility.

Last-Mile Services | Access Credentials So-called “last-mile services” are integrating parking technology into your customers’ experience before they even arrive at your facility. Where facilities’ terminals and pay stations are equipped with barcode scanners, operators have the option to create QR codes that discount their guests’ parking, whether it is included with a hotel room, as part of their admission to an event, or any number of other scenarios. Sophisticated integrations with the equipment backend mean that operators can use these QR codes to distribute reservations and validations with specific date and time ranges, in/out privileges, and other parameters that grant the bearer access to your facility based on those parameters. A recent development during the COVID-19 global pandemic has been the application of this technology to access more than just parking facilities. In the case of hospitals, for example, this technology can be used to screen patients, staff, and visitors alike as they arrive for their appointments, shifts, or visiting hours. In this application, the system prompts visitors to complete a symptom self-assessment in advance of their scheduled arrival at the hospital in order to receive a QR code, which they will use as their access credential; they will identify themselves upon arrival using facial recognition technology that can determine whether they are wearing a mask and scan their arm to take a temperature reading. Based on these inputs, the system can grant the visitor or employee access or redirect them to a triage location for further assessment. Systems like these can be augmented further with a remote customer service functionality to address any issues that may arise. With two-way voice and video communication available, patients and visitors can contact a nurse or screening agent to perform triage and assess the situation while maintaining a safe physical distance between hospital staff and anyone entering the facility. Applying technology in this way not only gives individuals a safer touchless experience as they arrive at the hospital, but it lets the hospital’s operations team enforce the facility’s parameters, collect data and analytics for reporting purposes, secures access controls, and reduces physical contact between staff and visitors.

On-Site Automation | Touchless Technology Touchless access solutions remain an integral part of on-site automation, and with greater awareness of the health implications of facilities’ common touchpoints and trepidation regarding in-person interactions, interest in these technologies continues to grow.

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Leveraging banking platforms’ EMV-certified tap-and-go payment technology, drivers are able to use their RFIDenabled credit and debit cards or mobile wallets on their smartphones as a credential to enter gated parking facilities and start their parking session; the systems are

then configured so that, at the end of their stay, drivers need only tap the same payment method again either at a pay station or at the exit to end their session, calculate the amount due, and make their payment. In parking operations where tickets are still desirable, they can be dispensed automatically when a vehicle is detected approaching the entry terminal, eliminating the need to push a button. Where this may be impractical, existing parking terminals can be upgraded with an illuminated infrared button activated by a wave to dispense a ticket. In both cases, the ticket can be used to pay for the parking session at a pay station or an exit terminal like normal, and if used in conjunction with a form of contactless payment, the driver will have moved through the entire parking experience without once having to touch a piece of equipment. Drivers’ smartphones can also be used to display QR codes for parking reservations or validations, whether directly in an app or attached to an email message, such as a hotel’s reservation or clinic appointment confirmation email. Or for a totally frictionless driver experience for permitted parkers or reserved parking sessions, automatic license plate recognition technology can be deployed in gated systems to raise gates when a registered plate number is detected.

Contactless payment is also becoming increasingly popular in non-gated lots, not only at parking meters equipped with EMV-certified payment solutions but with the use of mobile payment apps. These apps offer several convenient features that parking meters simply cannot, including turn-by-turn directions to an available space, stored payment options associated with business and personal accounts, and real-time notifications of expiring sessions with the option to extend a session without having to return to a meter. These touchless technologies are easily applied to access and revenue control environments where sanitation is a primary concern. By leveraging NFC technology built into smartphones and payment cards, drivers are able to start, end, and pay for parking sessions using items already in their possession — without the need to physically touch any of the equipment. These technologies, especially in combination with remote customer service, also further reduce the need for on-site attendants to accept payments or validate tickets. Where those services may still be required to upgrade tickets into passes or to provide a level of customer service a premium facility feels is still warranted, service can be provided through two-way voice and video connections so that transactions can still be completed as safely as possible.

Conclusion

autoChalk

Since the early days of the COVID-19 global pandemic through to today, it has been all hands-on deck to develop creative solutions to address all our partners’ parking, access, and screening needs. And with our research and development team’s ingenuity, we have been able to find these solutions in the unlikeliest of places, using parking technology — itself industry-leading within the urban mobility market — to continue delivering value to our clients by addressing other issues they face, including social distancing and facility access. We’ve done this by applying our know-how to virtualize the customer experience our clients offer to users of their facilities. By providing remote customer support, AI-driven self-serve functionality, biometrics-based access credentialing, and touchless on-site technology, we are streamlining how drivers get into and move through your facilities with a view to keeping everyone safe without adversely affecting the quality of the services we all rely on. n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Adamo Donatucci Business Development and Strategy Officer Precise ParkLink Inc.

®

Fixed Stationary LPR Mobile Vehicle Mounted LPR Flexible Solutions Digital Chalking

 Pay-By-Space

 Permits

Access Control

 Pay-By-Plate

 Scofflaw

Triple Productivity in All Weather Tough and Reliable Superb Ease of Use Powerful Back Office Exceptional Customer Support Award Winning Technology! Tannery Creek Systems Inc sales@autoChalk.com www.autochalk.com 1.905.738.1406

PARKER | 1ST QUARTER 2021

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The Canadian Parking Association’s Management Training and Certification. The Parking Management Certification program (PMC) addresses the training needs of management teams and front-line supervisors who oversee parking operations. This program sets performance and service standards at the point where the parking operation, technology, mobility, and the customer meet. The PMC credential is the standard by which performance can be measured.

Standards

The Examination

Recognized as the benchmark for supervisory and management level employees in the Canadian parking industry, the program offers candidates a comprehensive study program that includes relevant and essential aspects of a standard parking operation.

The computerized PMC examination is composed of 150 four-option multiple-choice questions and is administered during a 3-hour testing session held in close proximity to the candidate’s home or workplace.

The course is designed for quality and fairness in assessing the skill set for the industry and may be used by employers to evaluate candidates during the hiring processes.

Former CCPFM Graduates

Development Of The Certification Program The study materials and examination outline contain information fundamental to the defined roles and responsibilities of parking managers. Content has been compiled from a cross-section of parking professionals from Canada and has been updated to include current information relative to today’s parking industry.

Holders of current CCPFM designation will be offered a discounted fee to study the revised materials and retake the examination. If certification has lapsed, full fees will apply.

Parking Industry Credential The Canadian Parking Association, as the national authority for the industry in Canada, has the authority to grant or rescind the use of the professional designation of Parking Management Certification “PMC” to candidates who successfully complete the program.

Course Content OPERATIONS: Types, Design, Regulations, Loss Prevention, Equipment/Systems/Technology, Safety REVENUE CONTROL: Accounting, Auditing MOBILITY MANAGEMENT (TDM) CUSTOMER SERVICE MARKETING/ADMINISTRATION MAINTENANCE HUMAN RESOURCES

Training Course Registration & Information canadianparking.ca/pmc/

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2021 PMC Graduates Cody Clark

I work for Crombie REIT in the Client Services office out of the Scotia Square location in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The team and I are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the complex which includes two parking garages. Although I assist in various fields of the complex, including security and IT related tasks, I am focused in the parking department and can be seen both in the office programming and answering emails to out in the parkade fixing mechanical issues with parking equipment. Previously I did complete the Parking Professional Primer course which was a great stepping stone into the industry. The new Parking Management Certification is incredibly in depth and coupled with the Primer and my own experiences with our parkades, I believe the quality of my work will exponentially improve. It has also given me better insight and a greater respect into all the thought and consideration that goes into running a parking garage. In my free time I am an avid gamer as well as a fantasy/Sci-Fi enthusiast.

Crombie REIT

Shannon Talbot University of Guelph

Shannon Talbot is the face of parking at the University of Guelph. Shannon has been a parking professional for over 15 years, progressing from her role as parking clerk to her current role as Manager. During this time Shannon has been instrumental in establishing and implementing numerous digital and sustainable parking solutions for the University community. Completing the Parking Management Certification will accelerate Shannon's career to the next level.

Ryan Tuttroen

Parking & Transportation Services University of Saskatchewan Ryan Tuttroen is the Parking Enforcement Supervisor and Bylaw Prosecutor at the University of Saskatchewan. Ryan has been with the U of S since 2007, and in the parking industry since 2006. When he is not working on all things parking, Ryan can be found at home with his wife and two dachshunds or out on the lake with a fishing pole in hand. With his new PMC designation, Ryan is looking forward to advancing his career in the parking industry and applying his new knowledge to the day-to-day matters of his current position.

Beth Long

Parking Services City of Victoria Beth joined the City of Victoria as Parking Services Supervisor in October 2015 to provide leadership to a brand new Parking Ambassador team. She has completed an Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Management & Leadership Diploma from Camosun College and recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Community Development from Royal Roads University. Born and raised in Victoria she is passionate about leading people and best practices within the industry. When not at work she can be found driving her 2 children to figure skating, hockey or the baseball diamond along with hiking the many beautiful trails with their mini-goldendoodle puppy!

In 2019 Shannon introduced LPR (License Plate Recognition) which increased efficiency and compliance on campus by 80%. Shannon continues to stay focused on offering clients' solutions that meet their needs, including her most recent partnership with Honk Mobile to offer contactless payment solutions. When Shannon isn't managing a 5000+ surface parking operation she can be found spending time with her husband, 2 children and their pets.

PMC Re-Certification 2021 - 2024 Anna Marie O’Connell City of Guelph March 27, 2021

Nigel Bullers EasyPark March 3, 2021

Phillip Berg

City of Lethbridge September 18, 2020

Gary Khor

EasyPark March 16, 2021

David Duncan

City of Kelowna March 19, 2021

Lester D’Souza

University of Regina December 5, 2020

PARKER | 1ST QUARTER 2021

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Welcoming Members to the CPA We welcome the following new members to the Canadian Parking Association. Some are new to the industry, and some familiar names have been a part of the industry for several years, and are now included in the CPA membership.

Thanks to all members for your support.

Agence de mobilité durable Sylvain Sauvageau 640, rue Saint-Paul Ouest, #200 Montreal, QC H3C 1L9

City of Moncton Radya Rifaat 655 Main St. Moncton, NB E1C 1E8

Technology Adam Dickinson 3700 Willingdon Ave., SW. Burnaby, BC V5G 3H2

City of Saskatoon Todd Olexson Jo-Anne Richter Guy Rodgerson Parking Services, 222 3rd Ave., N Saskatoon, SK S7K 0J5

Interchange

TheBritish Columbia Institute of

Calgary Parking Authority Colleen Fortuna 620 - 9th Ave., SW. Calgary, AB T2P 1L5 City of Burnaby Moudud Hasan 4949 Canada Way Burnaby, BC V5G 1M2 City of Fredericton Jon Lewis 397 Queen St. Fredericton, NB E3B 1B5 City of Guelph David Gooch Scott Green 1 Carden St. Guelph, ON N1H 3A1 City of Kelowna Chandra Kee 1435 Water St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 1J4 City of Kelowna Vanessa Roque 1435 Water St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 1J4 City of Mississauga Brenda Peterson 3235 Mavis Rd. Mississauga, ON L5C 1T7

30 PARKER | 1ST QUARTER 2021

EasyPark Aaron Nuque P.O. Box 28191 Vancouver, BC V6C 3T7 Eiko Canada Greg Cober Stephen Lee 81 King St Barrie, ON L4N 6B5 Eiko Canada Christine Smith 81 King St Barrie, ON L4N 6B5 gtechna, a division of Harris Computers Sydney Kolysher 7075 Place Robert-Joncas, #M101 Saint-Laurent, QC H4M 2Z2 Harvard Development Inc. (A Hill Company) Tasha Kolanko #2000, 1874 Scarth St. Regina, SK S4P 4B3 NEOGARD, A part of Hempel Marsha Parker PO Box 908 Valemount, BC V0E 2Z0

OSCO (Precon/Strescon) Neil Buitenhuis Russell Cooke Andrew LeVatte 35 Rutherford Rd., S. Brampton, ON L6W 3J4 PayByPhone Sang Hwang Caroline Jacquin Teresa Trussell #403, 1168 Hamilton St. Vancouver, BC V6B 2S2 Precise Parklink Adamo Donatucci Ryan Peddigrew 100 Floral Parkway Toronto, ON M6L 2C5

Toronto Parking Authority Scott Collier 33 Queen St., E. Toronto, ON M5C 1R5 Toronto Police Service Paul Rinkoff 330 Progress Ave., 2nd Floor Toronto, ON M1P 2Z4 University of Alberta Grant Culham Parking Services, 1-051 Lister Ctr. Edmonton, AB T6G 2H6 University of Saskatchewan Quintin Zook Parking and Transportation Services, 72 Campus Dr. Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B5

Quercus Technologies, S.L. Chris Agrell Pol Barneda Av. Onze de Setembre, 19 Reus (Spain) 43203

WestPark Suraya Tabesh #1310, 1140 W. Pender St. Vancouver, BC V6E 4G1

RJC Engineers Steven Agranove #200, 1816 Crowchild Trail, NW Calgary, AB T2M 3Y7

WiiTronics Solutions Anand Natarajan 365 Glenridding Ravine Road SW Edmonton, AB T6W 4E6

Simon Fraser University Sid Mehta 888 University Drive Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6

Winnipeg Parking Authority Lisa Vermette 495 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E4

Stantec Consulting Ltd. Ahmed Abdelnaby 1331 Clyde Ave Ottawa, ON K2C 3G4

WSP Canada Inc. Josie Li 2300 Yonge St., Box 2385 Toronto, ON M4P 1E4

T2 Systems Jody Backes 8900 Keystone Crossing, #700 Indianapolis, IN 46240

WSP Canada Inc. David McCusker 1 Spectacle Lake Drive Dartmouth, NS B3B 1X7

Member Benefit

CPA Scholarship Program The Canadian Parking Association (CPA) is committed to the enhancement of knowledge in the parking industry and related fields through the assistance provided by the Canadian Parking Association Scholarship Fund. This scholarship is administered by the Canadian Parking Canadian Parking Association Scholarship Fund through Universities Canada. To date, the CPA has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarship funding to members and their dependants and their staffs’ dependents. This program continues to be strong through the continued support of the CPA’s programs.

Update on new accommodations for scholarship applicants As communities and universities across Canada respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scholarship Partners Canada is committed to ensuring scholarship applicants have the support they need to weather the impacts of these unprecedented events.

Applicants must currently be accepted into a full-time program at an accredited post-secondary education institution. Preference will be given to first-time applicants.

Students face new logistical challenges as universities transition to online instruction, on-campus student services transition to alternative delivery forms, and increasing numbers of university staff and faculty members transition to work-from-home arrangements. In response to these challenges, Scholarship Partners Canada has relaxed application requirements, including by:

There are no restrictions on the program of study or discipline, however preference will be given to those applicants studying in a parking or transportation related field.

• Accepting unofficial transcripts, bearing the student’s name and date, from student accounts where official transcripts are not available; and

Application Guidelines for 2021 are available at canadianparking.ca/scholarship-program/

• Accepting reference letters with referee contact information and/or digital signatures in place of original signed letters.

Scholarships are now available for the 2021 Fall Semester.

Deadline: An application must be submitted to Universities Canada no later than the application deadline of: 1:00 PM EST, April 28, 2021. All supporting documentation must be received by 1:00 PM EST May 12, 2021.

$$$ Full details can be found at: canadianparking.ca/scholarship-program/

The CPA Scholarship Fund is administered through the Canadian Parking Association Scholarship Fund in cooperation with Universities Canada

These accommodations will help ease the scholarship application process at a time when students need our support more than ever. We will continue to monitor the situation and remain flexible as we support our clients and students through this rapidly evolving situation.