One local charity sees an advertising opportunity in your parking receipt.
During the development and operations services standing committee on Monday night, Janet Fairbridge, foundation director of the Hospice Georgian Triangle Foundation, suggested the town consider providing advertising space on the back of parking receipts to local charities.
“It’s certainly something I think charities in Collingwood and the South Georgian Bay area would be very interested in,” said Fairbridge. "I presume there would be a cost. I think the charities would assist in paying for those advertising opportunities."
Fairbridge said the City of Toronto already has a program in place providing ad space on the back of parking receipts. She came before the committee to see if the town could investigate the logistics of bringing the program to Collingwood.
“As there is not an annual grant program available to charities for operational expenses in Collingwood as there is in Clearview, Wasaga Beach and Town of Blue Mountains, this would be a great way for the town to support our local charities,” said Fairbridge in an interview with CollingwoodToday.
She said the advertisements would be used for promotion to help build awareness and fundraising opportunities.
Coun. Deb Doherty asked about additional costs that would be associated with the endeavour.
Fairbridge said the Toronto parking authority wouldn’t release costing information without a formal request.
“I’m sure there is a cost to printing these receipts anyway, so I’d be interested to know what the town is paying for printing,” said Coun. Doherty.
Coun. Yvonne Hamlin brought up the possible move for Collingwood to pay for parking through a phone app, and whether that would impact the slip advertising.
“We are contemplating moving toward an app-based parking system,” said chief administrative officer Fareed Amin. “Notwithstanding that, I think this is something we could consider in the interim.”
Coun. Hamlin asked for a staff report on how the project could work, which was carried unanimously.
