NDG business owners say parking meters are killing Sherbrooke Street West foot traffic

Business owners along Sherbrooke Street West in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce say newly installed parking metres are already hurting their bottom line, with customers avoiding the street rather than pay to park.

The Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough scaled back its original plan from 447 metres to 250 and installed them a few weeks ago. But merchants say the impact on foot traffic has been immediate and damaging.

Louise Provost, chief receptionist at veterinary clinic Ophtalmo Vétérinaire, said the borough never properly consulted with businesses despite saying meetings would happen before installation. "It's very hard on the business. Very. People don't want to come here anymore because of it," she said.

Evelyn Couture, owner of pet supply store Döghaus, said customers who need a quick transaction—dropping off a pet or picking up supplies—now avoid the store rather than deal with parking hassles and fees. She's also fielding complaints from customers who can't pay the metres using the app, receiving error messages saying no parking is available all day from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Councillor Sonny Moroz said the borough recognizes that not everyone agrees with the outcome and remains committed to working with those who have concerns. "We believe in consultation, collaboration, and finding practical compromises," he said in a statement. The borough asked community group Biz NDG to continue engaging with merchants and monitoring impacts.

But Provost remains unconvinced. "I think it's going to kill a beautiful street with a lot of nice stores. It affects not only our clients, but also the employees that come in the city, that work outside the city or further, that have to pay metres all day."