Students voice frustration about parking prices at Algonquin College

Parking prices at Algonquin College are expected to continue to rise, all while students are expressing difficulties when it comes to paying for parking.

Currently the parking prices for an annual pass cost vary from $799 to $1,154. Students have the option to purchase passes annually, monthly and weekly. The prices have increased by 1.8 per cent each year in the past five years.

“Parking rates are reviewed annually, and any price adjustments would depend on factors such as inflation, maintenance costs, and campus expansion needs,” college parking manager Roch Lafond said.

The college’s most popular parking permit (fall annual, Lot 9) has increased about 1.8 per cent per year in the five-year period between 2020 and 2025 ($736 in September 2020 vs. $801 in September 2025).

“Our hourly parking rates have not increased in this time frame and remain at $4/hour,” Lafond said.

Students said parking prices at Algonquin College are higher compared to other schools like Carleton University.

Samiul Islam, a computer systems technician student at Algonquin College, has many frustrations with Algonquin parking prices.

“The school gouges such prices. Carleton University offers more parking options for cheaper,” Islam said.

Carleton University parking rates for yearly parking in certain lots are between $450 and $600. Carleton’s highest priced parking is $100 less than the starting parking rate at Algonquin.

Students said parking prices put stress on other expenses, such as tuition fees.

According to a 2024 report for Algonquin College’s Board of Governors, an average domestic student tuition fee is paying $1,361.29 per term in 2024-2025.

“As a student who is not working full-time, and often struggles to balance part-time work, academics and finances,” Islam said.

Camille Forgues, an Algonquin College student in the horticulture industry program, shared her thoughts on the expenses.

“We already put a lot of money towards tuition and then you have to add parking expenses on top of that,” Forgues said.

Students who have not bought their passes before the academic year starts are placed on a waitlist to purchase a parking pass.

Students have been finding it hard to park because of long wait times for receiving a parking permit.

Matt Wolff, a heating, refrigeration and air conditioning technician student at Algonquin College said, “I had to get on a waiting list for the one month of parking I have.”

The Honk app is used for parking at Algonquin College.

Because there is a waitlist, the app informs students that lots are sold out.

The college uses Honk for pay-as-you-go lots, but students are noticing that spots are available when the Honk app says there are not.

“I’m in parking Lot 8, there are always spots available,” Wolff said.

Students who do not have a parking pass tend to pay for a day pass.

Students are frustrated when there are open spots but they are not able to pay because the lot is sold out.

“I spoke with other students and we all think the parking situation here is abysmal,” Islam said.

“Given how expensive rent, groceries and other necessities are, having to worry about the parking situation here is another massive headache.”