City council has rejected a proposed car share program for a residential-commercial project at Lakeshore and Cook Roads.

Jim Pattison Developments requested a reduction in parking stalls in exchange for the car share program. However, many councillors expressed concerns about the plan's feasibility and potential impact.

"The project, I believe, will have negative impacts on the surrounding area for parking and access," Councillor Luke Stack said. "I would prefer to see a successful car share program launched, show that it works, and then consider it.鈥�

Councillor Ron Cannan highlighted the area's already heavy construction activity. 鈥淭his corridor, right from El Dorado to KLO, already has 2,000 doors under construction, and we don鈥檛 have the infrastructure to handle this for traffic,鈥� he explained.

Other councillors supported the car share idea, arguing the development would provide much-needed rental units.

鈥淭his is rental. We need it,鈥� said Councillor Gord Lovegrove. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure we should hold developers to ransom for needs from other parts of the community for spill-over parking.鈥�

Councillor Loyal Wooldridge also supported the program. 鈥淚 would be willing to give it a try, given that it鈥檚 a purpose-built rental building,鈥� he stated.

Despite these arguments, council voted against giving second and third readings to the bylaw that would have allowed the car share program. Wooldridge and Lovegrove were the only councillors in favor.

Council did approve second and third readings to rezone the property, allowing the building project to move forward without the car share initiative.