Parking woes plague government office in Saint John

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is demanding the provincial and federal governments resolve a parking problem that is causing many Saint John residents to have their cars immobilized when they visit a public office.

Many people have been forced to pay almost $100 to have their vehicles freed from the so-called "boot" after they took advantage of a nearby parking lot.

Mike Davidson, a representative with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said the federal and provincial governments have to do something to help citizens who are coming into the building and then finding their vehicles blocked.

"There's been a lack of compassion and understanding through the provincial and federal governments," he said.

Saint John's 1 Agar Place is a busy building that houses several government offices.

People requiring social assistance and training needs from the provincial government need to visit the office building.

It also has offices for federal Employment Insurance and Canada Pension Plan inquiries as well as passport applications.

Those who need to visit government workers often face parking challenges around 1 Agar Place. There are no metered spots and the vast majority of parking spaces near the building are reserved for permit holders, mainly staff. 

There is also an unassigned section that sits empty.

The provincial and federal governments only lease office space from the building, which is operated by Quebec City-based Cominar.

A Cominar spokesperson said permit holders had been complaining that their parking spots were being taken. So the building’s landlord hired No-Go, a company that immobilizes vehicles by placing a "boot" on the wheel.

The only way to move the car is by paying $88, plus tax, to a representative from the company, who will remove the device.

Even though it is the building’s owner that hired No-Go, the CUPE official said the two levels of government could easily solve the parking woes for many of their clients.

"We’re asking that they do the right thing and hire a commissionaire and quit charging people $100 to park at that facility," he said.

A federal government official working inside the building, who did not want to do an interview, said staff members often have to comfort social assistance and EI clients who are devastated to discover they can't go home until they come up with $100 to pay No-Go.

A Social Development spokesperson told CBC News the department is "concerned" about what is happening to its clients.

Peter Nason found himself needing to come up with $100 this week when he walked out of the building and found his car immobilized by the boot.

Nason said he made a "simple, honest mistake." His admission, however, did not save him any money.

He confronted the No-Go employee about what he thought was an unfair practice of immobilizing cars without a proper warning.

"You should have at least the decency, or your company, not necessarily you, to at least come up to somebody and say, ‘Hey,’ because I would have come back out of there and moved right over there," Nason said.

"I have done that. How much do I owe you? ... There's $100 and what would you do if I didn't have the money?"