A $120,000 downtown parking study has been as "meaningless" because it ignores Plan Winnipeg's support for public transit.

"All we've done is spend all this money on a consultant's report, that doesn't bring us any further ahead," Coun. Harry Lazarenko (Mynarski) said. "What a waste."

The city administration this week released recommendations on how councillors should respond to the two-year-old study, which suggests among other things that the city construct a parking garage of 500 to 700 spaces in the Main and Portage Avenue area.

"What's 500 spaces? All this does is use up valuable downtown space without dealing with the central issue," Lazarenko said.

The administration recommends councillors reaffirm support for public transit as the major mode of transportation to downtown.

It also suggests councillors reject any further government subsidies for construction and operation of privately owned commercial parking intended for long-term use, with the idea of limiting the growth of such spaces.

Works and operations commissioner Rod McRae said he is disappointed in the consultant's study on downtown parking because it doesn't follow Plan Winnipeg, the city's blueprint for development.

"To be honest, we are somewhat disappointed about what the study has to say about solutions to the issue of parking in the downtown area, especially the long-term parking issue," McRae said.

He said the solution of building a government-funded parking garage contradicts Plan Winnipeg, which recommends council support public transit.

"What we're saying is that there is more than adequate downtown parking spaces in Winnipeg — we should not be supporting any more subsidies for long-term parking," he said.

"If council is to follow their policy direction, that is to put emphasis on public transit, governments shouldn't get involved in financing further parking spaces either through building them themselves or giving subsidies to others."

He noted demand for long-term parking is determined by the number of downtown employees who drive to work and the city can influence use of public transit by limiting the supply of long-term parking.