Ottawa starts pay-by-plate parking kiosk rollout Monday, ending dashboard receipts at upgraded spots

Ottawa will begin installing about 660 pay-by-plate parking kiosks on Monday, 2 November, replacing the existing receipt-based machines. The city’s 30 October announcement says installation will take up to five months: city-managed parking lots will be first, with additional locations across Ottawa upgraded through spring 2027.

Payment tied to the plate, no more trip back to the car

At the new kiosks, parking payments will be linked directly to the vehicle’s licence plate. Drivers at upgraded locations will no longer have to walk back to their vehicle to leave a receipt on the dashboard. The machines will accept coins, debit and credit tap, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and the PayByPhone app will remain available.

Rates and hours unchanged, phased rollout

The rollout covers on-street paid parking spaces as well as city-managed lots and garages. Ottawa says parking rates and operating hours are not changing as part of this project. Because installation is phased, the new system will not be available at every location immediately on Monday, and drivers at not-yet-upgraded locations should keep paying as before.

Sources: City of Ottawa announcement, 30 Oct 2026, via The Northern Current, 1 Nov 2026.