Montreal Is Extending Free Weekend Street Parking Downtown Until The End Of January
Good news for anyone who's been taking advantage of Montreal's free street parking initiative, which makes parking in front of a meter downtown totally free of charge on weekends.
The City of Montreal announced on December 23 that the initiative has been extended, so it will end on January 31 rather than December 31.
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January 31
New last day to park for free on weekends downtown
This means you can continue to park for free on the street on Friday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. as well as on Saturday and Sunday in the Ville-Marie borough.
The city originally launched this initiative as a way to boost the economy, encouraging Quebecers to shop and eat local during the holidays amid the pandemic.
"We continue to do everything we can to help our local businesses and shops. We need to innovate in our ways and think differently during these difficult times," said Mayor Valérie Plante in a press release.
"The free period was supposed to end on December 31, but given the restrictions still in effect, it will be extended until at least January 31."
Quebec is set to enter a "holiday pause" period that will see non-essential businesses close from December 25 to January 11.
The closures will affect all shops except for grocery stores, hardware stores, pharmacies, pet stores and garages.
So while there may not be much reason to park downtown on the weekend — especially for the next two weeks — it'll be free if you need it.