Concordia student creates app to help Montrealers rent unused parking spots

A Concordia student has developed a new platform to help ease Montreal’s parking challenges by connecting people who have an unused parking spot with drivers who need one.

Benjamin Grenier, a finance student at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business, came up with the idea while brainstorming for a class project.

“I’m sitting at home with my roommate talking about our parking spot that we own and how we’re paying these exorbitant rates, but we don’t even own a car,” he recalleds. “I thought, I wish there was a way to rent the spot out to the public, hassle-free and super simple.”

That lightbulb moment led to the creation of PullinParking Stationnement, a peer-to-peer parking rental platform.

Those renting out their spots can list them on the site and set their own rate and availability, either hourly, daily, or monthly. PullinParking also suggests going rates for each area.

Every member is vetted and must provide proof that they own the spot.

For drivers looking for parking, the app features an interactive map showing available spaces nearby. Grenier says it’s ideal for people searching for parking close to home, work, or school.

“As a renter of a spot, you’re simply going to log in, sign up, put your, credit card information in, and then you can rent the spot that day,” Grenier explains.

The platform uses Stripe, a secure online payment system, to handle reservations and payment.

The PullinParking website has been live for about two months, and Grenier says a mobile app version is set to launch within a week.

He hopes to eventually expand the business to other cities, adding it’s a great way for people with unused parking spaces to bring in a little extra cash.

“Life is expensive, and we can use all the money we can get, and this is just a great way to just make passive income from something you already own,” he said.