Students, staff, and visitors at the University of Waterloo will soon be paying more for parking, as new campus-wide rate increases take effect May 1.

According to the university’s Sustainable Transportation office, updated pricing will apply across visitor parking, permits, and hourly rates, marking another adjustment in the university’s ongoing shift toward funding infrastructure and transportation improvements.

For many campus users, the most noticeable change will be in visitor parking fees. Daily parking in most lots will rise from $7.25 to $10.00, while Lot M will increase from $8.30 to $11.45. Hourly rates will also jump from $3.10 per hour (max $10) to $4.30 per hour (max $13.80) in several central campus locations.

Evening and gated lot pricing is also increasing, with some maximum daily charges climbing as high as $30, depending on the lot.

Permit holders will see smaller, but still notable changes. Monthly employee permits will increase from $54.86 to $56.78 (plus tax), while student parking permits will rise to $225.14 per term (plus tax).

While the increases vary by category, the overall trend is clear, parking on campus is becoming more expensive across the board.

The university frames the changes as part of a broader strategy to improve campus transportation. Previous fee increases were tied to investments in infrastructure such as resurfacing lots, upgrading lighting, expanding bike storage, and supporting alternative transportation options like transit and cycling.

Parking Services, now rebranded as Sustainable Transportation, has emphasized that these changes are necessary to maintain aging infrastructure and better manage how thousands of people move to and from campus each day.

Still, the increases may be felt most by students who rely on driving. With limited parking availability and already competitive permit systems, higher prices could add to the financial strain of commuting, especially for those living off campus.