Paid Parking Program

Beginning May 15, 2026, eligible Lacombe County ratepayers will be able to park at no cost at Sandy Point Beach & Boat Launch and Sunbreaker Cove Boat Launch AFTER registering through the HotSpot Parking system.  Each property tax account will be eligible to register three (3) different license plates. This must be done at least 24 hours before parking at Sandy Point or Sunbreaker Cove, to ensure they are properly verified.

This exemption is available only to Lacombe County ratepayers who:
✔ Own property in Lacombe County, and
✔ Pay municipal property taxes on that property, and
✔ Provide proof of:

• Ownership — their tax notice
• Residency — a government issued ID or a utility bill

Please note:

• Permits are issued per tax roll account, not per individual.
• Seasonal lot renters are not eligible, as they do not pay municipal taxes on the property.

Registration is scheduled to open in April 2026. 

Specified Penalty is the legislated penalty amount for the offence described.  This amount is the amount due BEFORE 30 calendar days of the offence. 

ALL ticket disputes MUST go through HotSpot Parking Inc. (not the Lacombe County office)

You can reach the HotSpot Support at: (phone) 1-(855)-712-5888  or by email at support@htsp.ca. 

You can also enter a dispute through the Hot Spot app, under Parking - Resolve a Parking Ticket

If you are having problems with the HotSpot app or Fast Tap option, please contact HotSpot Support Team DIRECTLY at 1-855-712-5888 or email support@htsp.ca

You can also learn more about the company and how HotSpot works, or find technical support online, at www.htsp.ca

There are four ways that you can pay for parking:

1.Park with the app: Download the HotSpot Parking App on your smartphone to set up an account.

• • Create an account
  • Tap the "Parking" icon
  • Enter the 4-digit code on the sign
  • Choose your length of stay
  • Pay

2. Park with the Fast Tap signs: Use your smartphone to scan the QR code on the signs in our parking lots and pay

• • Scan the QR code with your phone's camera
  • Enter your license plate number
  • Choose your length of stay
  • Pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay

3.  If you don't have a Smartphone OR Credit Card: You can pay online at home (home computer, laptop, iPad, etc.) before your visit. On the HotSpot website, debit cards double as credit cards for online payments.

4.  In-person at the Lacombe County Administration Building: You can also pay for parking in-person at the Lacombe County Administration Building during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm).

Any visitors who feel uncomfortable paying for parking online are welcome to come to the Lacombe County Office during work hours (Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm).

Paid parking will be required at select lots (look for the HotSpot Parking signs) for anyone to park at the following rates:

• Sandy Point Beach parking lot ($3/hour or $15 for the day)
• Sandy Point and Sunbreaker Cove Boat Launches
  • $20/day to launch and park,
  • $10 to launch only,
  • $10 for additional vehicle parking only with no trailer

Recognizing the need for another option, Lacombe County Council has opted to offer an annual parking pass for residents and frequent users:

• Beach Parking Annual Fee $120/year
• Boat Launch & Parking Annual Fee $160/year
• Boat Launch Annual Fee $80/year

The Sandy Point beach and boat launch and the Sunbreaker Cove boat launch facilities are very expensive to operate and maintain. Implementing this paid parking program ensures that all users of these facilities, and not just County taxpayers as has been the case in the past, share in their costs.

Beginning May 15, 2026, eligible Lacombe County ratepayers will be able to park at no cost at Sandy Point Beach & Boat Launch and Sunbreaker Cove Boat Launch AFTER registering through the HotSpot Parking system.

Each property tax account will be eligible to register three (3) different license plates. This must be done at least 24 hours before parking at Sandy Point or Sunbreaker Cove, to ensure they are properly verified. This update follows Council direction from the February 12, 2026 Council Meeting, where Council approved creating a parking exemption for Lacombe County ratepayers.

Who is eligible?

This exemption is available only to Lacombe County ratepayers who:
✔ Own property in Lacombe County, and
✔ Pay municipal property taxes on that property, and
✔ Provide proof of:

• Ownership — their tax notice
• Residency — a government-issued ID or a utility bill

Please note:

• Permits are issued per tax roll account, not per individual.
• Seasonal lot renters are not eligible, as they do not pay municipal taxes on the property.

Registration is scheduled to open in April 2026. We will provide step-by-step instructions and registration information before the Paid Parking Program begins in May 2026.

When the Sandy Point Development was approved, the County wanted to ensure that the lake and beach could be accessed by the general public.

The County required the developer of Sandy Point to construct the boat launch, as well as the boat launch/beach parking lots, on County reserve lands. The County and the developer shared the cost of the beach washroom. Once constructed, all of these facilities became the responsibility of the County to operate and maintain.

Since assuming responsibility for these facilities, Lacombe County has constructed the maintenance shop at the beach, expanded the beach parking lot, installed additional playground equipment at the beach and purchased swim buoys.

In addition to the two Lacombe County maintenance employees, the County hires Commissionaires from the May to September long weekends to provide parking and traffic control.

The total annual cost of operating and maintaining the Sandy Point and Sunbreaker Cove facilities is $135,000. This does not include the future costs of resurfacing the paved roads and repairing/replacing the maintenance shop and small equipment, the tractor and pick-up truck, the two boat launches, the Sandy Point beach washroom, the Sunbreaker Cove boat launch washroom and the playground equipment.

The only fee will be a $10 launch fee when you initially place your boat in the water.

You will not have to pay any fees if you park at your designated camping spot, driveway, residence, etc. If you do not require a parking spot in the public parking areas at Sandy Point, then you do not need to pay to park. By keeping your vehicle at your designated site at the campground/resort, you are helping to ensure there is enough room for outside visitors to park.

Beginning May 15, 2026, eligible Lacombe County ratepayers will be able to park at no cost at Sandy Point Beach & Boat Launch and Sunbreaker Cove Boat Launch AFTER registering through the HotSpot Parking system.

Each property tax account will be eligible to register three (3) different license plates. This must be done at least 24 hours before parking at Sandy Point or Sunbreaker Cove, to ensure they are properly verified.

PLEASE NOTE: Seasonal lot renters are not eligible, as they do not pay municipal taxes on the property.

Who is eligible?

This exemption is available only to Lacombe County ratepayers who:
✔ Own property in Lacombe County, and
✔ Pay municipal property taxes on that property, and
✔ Provide proof of:

• Ownership — their tax notice
• Residency — a government-issued ID or a utility bill

Permits are issued per tax roll account, not per individual.

The HotSpot Parking App is convenient for a number of reasons, including:

• The app will notify users when their time is close to expiring and offer the opportunity to add more time up to the maximum for the spot.
• Users can terminate a session early and be refunded for any unused time (Sandy Point Beach only).
• Users can pay for their initial session and any top-ups remotely as well if they choose.