With car parks a relatively easy discovery in the 905, residents may question the need for parking assistance. However, for those seeking out trendy Ossington eats and Queen West shopping finds, the sharing economy is ready to assist residents in the search for one of downtown Toronto’s most desired commodities: a parking space.

A new app called Rover will facilitate connections between parking space owners and those looking to, well, park in their space. It’s the latest in a slew of apps designed to aid Toronto in the search for the perfect park.

Rover is described as “a mobile marketplace for shared parking.” The free app provides a supply of available parking in the area as well as an hourly rate charged for the space. Users simply pick a spot, park and pay a reasonable fee, with Rover finding you spaces that are currently capped at a maximum of $2 per hour with a price decrease in evening and overnight hours. 

The app also keeps track of the time remaining at the space with the option of extending.

For the app to be successful, it needs parking space owners looking to earn a few extra bucks to sign up. 

According to Rover, the average time people spend looking for parking is over 15 minutes, and the app will reduce that time by over 75 per cent. 

Other apps include Green P’s latest, which allows drivers to pay for metred parking via a smartphone, and Toronto Parking Finder, which lets people compare available lots.