New Parking Measures to Boost Sherbrooke’s Downtown Accessibility

Sherbrooke, February 18, 2026 – The City of Sherbrooke, in partnership with the Société de développement commercial (SDC), has announced a series of major adjustments to downtown parking rules aimed at supporting local businesses and simplifying the user experience. The changes primarily target the Wellington North sector and are expected to roll out over the coming months.

Simplified Hours and Sunday Free Parking

In a move to make rules easier to understand, parking rates for both street and lot spaces will be standardized. Paid parking will now only be in effect from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Saturday.

This means:

• Free parking every evening after 6:00 PM.
• Free parking all day on Sundays.

To balance the reduction in paid hours, the hourly rate will see a slight increase, moving from $2.25 to $2.50.

Prioritizing Customers: New Hourly Zones

To ensure direct access for shoppers and diners, the city is creating zones strictly reserved for hourly parking where monthly permits (vignettes) will not be accepted. These include:

• La Grenouillère lot: 5 dedicated spaces.
• Webster lot: 5 dedicated spaces.
• Abénaquis lot: 3 dedicated spaces.

Expanding Access for Residents and Workers

New hourly rates will also be implemented on Abénaquis, Court, Bank, and William streets. However, in a win for locals, residential and worker permits will now be authorized on these streets, providing more flexibility for those who live and work downtown while freeing up high-demand spots elsewhere.

“Downtown accessibility is essential to commercial vitality,” said Karine Godbout, Municipal Councilor for the Lac-des-Nations district. “Following sustained exchanges with the SDC, the City is putting in place concrete measures to facilitate parking and encourage people to visit our downtown shops.”

The city and the SDC plan to launch a public communication campaign shortly to ensure a smooth transition for all motorists.