Edmonton switches parking payments to HotSpot from EPark

The City of Edmonton is switching to a new mobile parking payment system, promising a “simpler and faster” tool.

As of April 29, people paying for parking in Edmonton will have to use HotSpot instead of EPark.

The new payment system accepts credit cards and debit cards and customers can pay by scanning a QR code posted on parking machines, using the existing pay machines or the HotSpot Parking website.

“We were hearing from customers — they’ve asked for improvements with our current technology,” said Jenny Albers, a supervisor with city planning and permitting, “more of those self-serve features, as well, it has the opportunity to link in digital monthly permits.

“Shifting to HotSpot Parking is going to be very simple. It has two options. That QR code piece, where you have a unique QR code for the zone, it’s going to make it so much easier for parkers. When you’re in an area, you scan the QR code, the zone number is already going to be included, you just add in your licence plate and payment information.”

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The on-street parking meters won’t change.

“The only change you’ll see on the machines is … new signage on them that will show the specific QR code that you can scan if you want to pay by Fast Tap directly,” said Albers.

In the middle of of May, a pay-as-you-go HotSpot app will be available.

“There will be much more improved notifications,” Albers said, “reminders … to be able to update.. to see a map of all the parking that’s available.”

Albers explained the two-week gap between the HotSpot launch and the launch of the app is due to the time required to transition users and their funds from the account-based program (EPark) to the pay-as-you-go system (HotSpot).

Once the HotSpot app is available, users will only have to input their licence plate and payment information once.

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People who have funds in their EPark account can continue to use them until April 29. At that time, any account with more than $25 will be transferred to a new HotSpot account. Account holders will receive an email, prompting them to set a HotSpot password.

“We are encouraging customers, before April 29, to use up their funds in their account,” Albers said. “We have stopped the autoload top-up feature, so if you have funds in your account, we encourage you to continue to use them.”

People with $25 or less in their EPark account who don’t use up those funds before April 29 can request a refund until June 30.

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HotSpot is used in 150 cities, mostly in Canada, company executive Phillip Curley said.

“We’ve been doing this a very long time … We’re ISO 2700 1 certified, which is about as high as you can get as a security standard,” he said.

“We have a parent company, which is Arcadis, which has a large office in Edmonton and actually does the 511 system for all of Alberta,” Curley said. “So we’re a known software provider in the region and have nearby customers that have had success such as Red Deer, Drumheller and Jasper.”

Calgary Parking has provided service for EPark since the program was launched in Edmonton in 2015.

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