Downtown Ottawa has lost nearly 3,000 parking spots in nine years
From 17,137 spaces in 2016 to 13,913 today, the decline coincides with federal workers returning to offices four days a week.
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Downtown Ottawa's off-street parking inventory has shrunk from 17,137 spaces in 2016 to 13,913 in 2025—a loss of 3,224 spots, or nearly 20 per cent. The decline tracks a shift in how the city uses downtown land.
Redevelopment accounts for the biggest loss, according to Scott Caldwell, the city's manager of parking services. "Over time, parcels of land that contained surface lots or parking garages have been redeveloped for other uses, resulting in fewer available parking spaces," Caldwell said. Nine surface lots that existed in 2016 have disappeared entirely, accounting for nearly 400 of the lost spaces.
The timing matters. Federal public servants were required to return to offices three days a week before February 5, 2026, when the federal government announced a shift to four days per week starting in July. Ontario and City of Ottawa staff returned full-time January 1. Against this backdrop, only 7,060 of the remaining downtown spots are publicly available for purchase, and the city manages just 13 per cent of those.
City council discontinued the preferential tax rate for surface parking lots last year, moving them to the full commercial rate. The city's Official Plan seeks to gradually reduce land devoted to surface parking and gives staff authority to reduce or eliminate minimum parking requirements—a strategy that recognizes downtown's shift away from car-dependent development.
Derrick Simpson, transit chair of the Centretown Community Association, said fewer downtown parking spots "isn't necessarily a bad thing." Whether that optimism holds as federal workers fill offices.
How many of the lost 3,224 spaces were public versus private, and which redevelopments replaced them?
Will federal or city procurement policies require contractors to address employee parking, or is the responsibility on individuals to find alternatives?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How many parking spots has downtown Ottawa lost since 2016?
Downtown Ottawa lost 3,224 off-street parking spaces between 2016 and 2025, declining from 17,137 spaces to 13,913.
What is the main reason for the parking loss?
Redevelopment of land previously used for surface lots and parking garages accounts for the biggest loss. Nine surface lots that existed in 2016 have disappeared entirely, accounting for nearly 400 of the lost spaces.
How many downtown Ottawa parking spots are publicly available?
Only 7,060 of the remaining 13,913 downtown parking spots are publicly available for purchase.
