Businesses on Dundas Street in Toronto's Chinatown are calling for an adjustment to on-street parking regulations after changes made in 2025 have begun to impact their bottom lines.
The parking restrictions were implemented between McCaul Street and Spadina Avenue, with the north side seeing daytime parking removal and the south side converted partly to commercial loading zones, leaving only a few parking spots. The changes were designed to ease traffic congestion in the area.
Chinatown BIA chair Tonny Louie told CityNews that complaints from merchants are mounting. "The complaints are getting louder and louder, and people are saying that they are really suffering due to lost business," he said. Louie suggested that parking restrictions should be relaxed during slower business hours, noting that streetcars do not always require the full roadway.
The city implemented the changes to address transit flow problems. According to the TTC, more than 5,000 people a day board and exit the streetcar in Chinatown, but the vehicle was being blocked by parked cars, Councillor Dianne Saxe explained. In response, the city allocated almost $5 million to update and renovate a Green P lot near Dundas and Spadina as an alternative parking option, work that is currently underway.
Restaurant owners report the alternative parking arrangement has not fully solved the problem. Kelvin Chung, owner of Dim Sum King Seafood Restaurant on Dundas Street West, said the Green P lot down the street isn't always convenient for customers. "People who cannot park, they don't want to come, that's the problem with Chinatown parking," he told CityNews. To mitigate the impact, Chung has been covering Green P parking fees for customers to encourage visits.
The Chinatown BIA expressed hope that increased dialogue with the city will lead to adjusted parking hours on Dundas Street, though no timeline has been set for potential changes.
