For many frequent flyers at Victoria International Airport, parking can be an issue.
Esquimalt resident Alexander Westersund said he has noticed a steady rise in parking rates at YYJ. “Recently I tried to find out why; the airport gave me answers that didn't make sense.”
Peninsula News Review reached out to Victoria Airport Authority (VAA) to check if indeed the parking rates have been soaring in recent years.
VAA says it has invested over $8 million in improvements to the parking facilities at the airport since 2015 to meet increasing demand. This year, the 177-stall short-term lot parking rate was increased from $1 to $2 for two hours – the first time the airport authority increased the short-term parking rate since the early 2000s.
According to VAA, in 2015, long-term parking was $15 per day for the first five days ($7.50 a day after that).
Five years ago, in 2019, long-term parking increased to $16 per day ($8 a day after that) which equates to a 6.67 per cent increase.
“In 2023, we increased long-term parking to $18 per day ($9 for every day after that) which was a 12.5 per cent increase,” VAA said.
Based on the figures VAA provided, the total percentage increase for long-term parking between 2015 and 2023 was 20 per cent.
"$18 per day is way too high," Westersund said.
Apart from the parking rate, Westersund, who drives an electric vehicle, says there are not enough EV parking spaces at YYJ.
"I could never get a spot, so I sent an email a year ago and still, no new spots added. This is terrible that they have not expanded after being asked. This is the way of the future," he said.
Currently, their long-term lots have a total of 21 chargers – six in lot 1 and 16 in lot 2. The airport’s short-term lot has two chargers.
VAA told Peninsula News Review they are currently reviewing opportunities for the provision of EV facilities but there is no approved initiative at this time.
With the exception of the $2 increase in the short-term lot, the parking rate increase at YYJ over the last five years is still well below what other airports in North America would charge for what is deemed as "premium parking" directly across from the terminal building, VAA added.
"Where is all the money going? If we pay for upgrades on our ticket why is this being jacked up so high on parking fees? I don't see anywhere in Victoria that charges this much," Westersund said.
VAA responded by saying that the increase in the consumer price index (CPI), which represents the increase in cost of living, was 17.71 per cent within the last five-year period.
"If you factor in the capital investment that has been made to our parking lots, a 20 per cent increase in parking fees is a reasonable increase that is aligned with the general cost of living increase for the region," they said.
