Parking Lot Owner Requirements for Disabled Spaces

By-Law 2019-44 requires every owner and every operator of a public parking facility in Niagara Falls must provide the minimum number of designated parking spaces in their parking facilities as prescribed by the following table:

For parking lots that existed before April 9, 2019:

Number of Parking Spaces     Minimum Number of Spaces to Be Reserved For Disabled Persons
50 - 991
100 - 1992
200 - 4995
500 - 99910
1,000 or more10 spaces plus 5 spaces for each additional 1,000 parking spaces or part thereof

Property owners subject to site plan control or applying for a commercial parking lot license after April 9, 2019 are required to provide the minimum number of designated parking spaces in their parking facilities as prescribed by the following table:

Capacity of Off-Street Parking Facility

Minimum Number of Accessible Parking Spaces to Be Reserved for Persons with Disabilities

0 - 12One (1)
13 - 100

4% of the total number of parking spaces, rounding up to the nearest whole number

101 - 200

1 + 3% of the total number of parking spaces, rounding up to the nearest whole number

201 - 1,000

2 + 2% of the total number of parking spaces, rounding up to the nearest whole number

More than 1,000

11 + 1% of the total number of parking spaces, rounding up to the nearest whole number

 Each designated parking space shall consist of the following

  • one authorized disabled parking sign on display:
  • one $300.00 Fine sign tab directly beneath the authorized disabled parking sign:
  • both signs are to be permanently installed at the front and centre of the parking stall and mounted at a height of 1.0 metres to 1.5 metres from the ground to the bottom of the sign:
  • be a minimum of 3.9 metres (12 feet, 10 inches) in width and 6 metres (19 feet, 8 inches) in length;
  • for new accessible spaces created after April 9, 2019, have a 1.5 metre wide aisle way that extends the full length of the space on at least one side of every accessible parking space with barrier free access provided at the end of the access aisle,
  • shall be marked with appropriate white pavement markings (lines and symbol) when located on a hard surface;
  • located on a level surface; and;
  • placed in a location as to minimize the distance to building entrances and exits and so as to permit the easy access to such entrances and exits

The set fine for parking in a designates disabled parking space without having a valid disabled parking permit displayed is $300.00. There is a zero tolerance enforcement approach to persons who park in disabled parking spaces without the proper permit

Authorized disabled parking signs, tabs, and hardware are available at cost from the WEGO Transit Facility, 8208 Heartland Forest Road, from Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The disabled parking signs are $25.00 each, plus HST, and each fine tab is $10.00, plus HST.

Request for enforcement of Installed Accessible parking signs and spaces can be done by contacted Parking Services at 905-356-7521, extension 4700

Disabled Parking Permits

If you are looking for information on obtaining a Disabled Parking Permit, visit the Disabled Parking Permit page.