The Kwantlen Chronicle, a blog maintained by the Kwantlen Polytechnic University, recently published an article about how the recent Translink parking tax hike is affecting students. On January 1st Translink increased parking taxes from 7% to 21%.  This caused student parking prices to rise from $2.75 to $3.25 for a half day of parking. As Gordon Lee, Kwantlen’s VP of finance and administration explains, it isn’t realistic to apply a 21 cent tax to a parking fee, so the price had to be rounded up to the more convenient price increment of 25 cents.

Lee also points out that students will face another parking fee increase when the harmonized sales tax comes into effect in July. These increases were explained on HSTinCanada.com on January 14th, which can be read in more detail here:

HST and TransLink account for 35% Increase to Parking Costs

In the original article posted by Kwantlen University, Gordon Lee reminds readers that just 15 years ago students didn’t have to pay for parking. However, as budgets got tighter, the decision was made to start charging for student parking. At this particular university, the parking is maintained by Impark, which has had the contract with Kwantlen for the past 10 years.  Lee states that all revenues from the parking lot goes directly back into maintaining the quality and safety of parking, and that the school itself collects no revenue from the increasing fees.