The City of Moose Jaw’s HotSpot parking app allows users to load money into a virtual wallet, but what about those wanting to use the app for one-time parking? 

That was the question Coun. Jamey Logan recently posed to city administration recently. 

Funds can be loaded into the virtual wallet in increments of $5 or $10 to avoid multiple credit card transaction fees. As of Aug. 8, 2022, the city added a Park & Go feature that allows users to pay for one-time parking using a credit card. 

“People don't have to preload a bunch of money. They do, however, have to pay the usage fee and the monthly user fee I do believe. They have to pay monthly for that user fee or yearly,” Logan said. 

The extra fees include 20 cents per transaction plus membership fees of $2 per month or $20 per year and 2.99 per cent credit card transaction fees. However, with the Park & Go feature, the remaining time cannot be refunded back to the credit card. 

The one-time parking and purchasing transit passes are just some of the new features the city has added to the app recently. 

“There is a list of things that have been updated to the app as well, so if someone's interested in using the parking app, I suggest they get online and read the brochure that HotSpot has provided,” Logan said. 

During budget deliberations in December, Director of Public Works Darrin Stephanson said uptake on the app has been low. About 10 per cent of parking revenue came from the app in 2022, up from about four per cent in 2021.