Council cuts parking rules to boost child care spaces

Edmonton city council voted 11-2 Tuesday to reduce parking requirements for child-care facilities and allow them to operate in more parts of the city — a move aimed at making it easier for providers to enter the industry and for families to find care closer to home.

Under the old rules, a daycare with 40 spaces for children needed four parking spots minimum. With the change, that same facility needs only two spots if it's on a street with unrestricted parking, or four if street parking isn't available. The requirement shifts from two spaces per 10 children to one space per 10 children, then drops by half again with good street parking.

Daycare centres can now operate in 17 of the city's special area zones — sections with specific zoning rules based on their history and geography, including Rossdale Flats, the area around the Muttart Conservatory, and the Fort Edmonton Park zone. They remain prohibited next to industrial or major utility uses and are capped at 300 square metres of floor space, with mandatory outdoor playspace required.

Coun. Michael Janz, who represents Ward Papastew, said the change addresses a longstanding barrier. "People had to drive to a daycare outside their community because they weren't able to have one in their community," Mayor Andrew Knack said. "If you've got a child-care or daycare space in your community, you have the option of walking or biking to that space."

Janz indicated more restrictions could still be lifted to allow daycares in mid-block locations. Edmonton currently has more than 800 licensed child-care facilities within city limits. Councillors Thu Parmar and Karen Principe voted against the change.