North Bay review recommends city sell downtown parking garage
An organizational review of the City of North Bay recommends the city consider selling its downtown parking garage on McIntyre Street.
Parking garage on McIntyre Street in North Bay. May 2, 2024 (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontario)
The recommendation comes from the accounting firm KPMG, which audited the city’s services.
An independent, third-party review of the city and its services was requested by council in December 2022. KPMG was awarded the contract in summer 2023.
“There's always ways that we can improve and make things better, and this really gives us that chance to map out an implementation plan,” said Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield.
As part of its recommendation that the city clarify its community safety and well-being plan, the consultant suggests the city consider divesting the garage.
Its organizational review found the downtown parking garage, which is owned and operated by the city, has faced security challenges related to homelessness in the area.
“City staff have been trying to implement some different ways of addressing the challenges that we face at the parking garage over the past number of years,” Horsfield said.
KPMG acknowledged there have been improvements to security which are under review.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
“The city should perform a cost-benefit analysis to determine the long-term plan for this parking garage, as well,” KPMG senior manager Sana Malik said during Tuesday’s special committee meeting.
Horsfield said council plans to look into the option further.
“A number of individuals use it for businesses and those who live in the downtown,” she said.
“Having that strategy in that report will provide more context and that research that's going to be done into whether or not parking can be moved somewhere else. Is there a great need in that area?”
The report said that understanding the future state of the parking garage will be essential in building the city’s facilities and parking department’s strategy and business plan.
“The city has already, in the 2024 budget, allocated funds to go towards the downtown parking strategy,” Horsfield said.
“Within that downtown parking strategy, we're updating our plans of parking requirements within the downtown.”
The review finds the city has historically reviewed its parking master plan every five years but the most recent update was in 2011.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.