Rue du Petit Champlain

Feeling the pressure from suburban drivers upset at new public transit projects that do little to help drivers, Quebec City is instituting a series of measures meant to appeal to people who listen to talk radio behind the wheel. Among the more controversial ones is the plan to add street parking to Petit Champlain St. in Vieux Québec, which begins today.

The narrow street, known for its small artisanal (read: tourist trap) shops with addresses that sometimes have fractions in them, has been pedestrian-only for years, but Mayor Régis Labeaume said this week the merchants have been after him to add parking to stimulate the economy in the area.

The plan is to add parking on one side of the street on weekdays, except for a two-week period during the peak of summer. There won’t be parking meters, but a 60-minute limit will be in place.

Store owners were nearly unanimous in their approval of the plan, noting that anything that increases available parking downtown is by definition good for business.