Security cameras for parkades: a planning guide
For property managers, condo boards and strata councils in Alberta and BC planning cameras for an underground or covered parkade.
The quick answer
Cover every way in and out first: the vehicle gate, the ramps, pedestrian doors, stairwells and elevator lobbies. Then cover the places where break-ins happen, such as drive aisles, bike rooms and storage lockers. Use cameras that handle headlights and low light, add plate recognition at the gate, and connect the cameras to the gate and doors so an event brings up the right video.
Where cameras usually go
| Location | What the camera should capture |
|---|---|
| Vehicle gate | Every vehicle entering and leaving, and the driver’s side, with a separate camera for plates. |
| Ramps | Vehicles moving between levels, and anyone walking in behind a car. |
| Pedestrian and exit doors | Faces of people coming in, especially doors that tailgaters use. |
| Elevator lobbies and stairwells | Everyone moving between the parkade and the building. |
| Drive aisles | Overview of parked cars, aimed along the aisle rather than across it. |
| Bike, storage and garbage rooms | The door and the inside of the room, where most thefts happen. |
Light, ceilings and conditions
Parkades are hard on cameras. Headlights shine straight into lenses at the gate and ramps, so choose cameras with wide dynamic range (WDR) and place them to avoid looking into the glare. Low ceilings limit how far a camera can see, so plan more cameras with the right lenses rather than a few wide ones.
Near the entrance, cold air, slush and road salt get in, so use housings rated for the conditions and vandal-resistant domes within reach. Good, even lighting helps every camera; we flag dark spots during the site walk.
Plate recognition at the gate
A dedicated licence plate recognition camera at the gate records every plate, so you can search by plate later. It can also open the gate for registered vehicles, working with your access control. A plate camera needs the right angle, a fast shutter and its own lighting, so it’s planned separately from the overview cameras.
Connect cameras to the gate and doors
When cameras, access control and the video intercom work together, a forced door, a held-open gate or a buzzed-in visitor brings up the matching video. For parkades that sit empty overnight, remote video monitoring through our monitoring partner can watch the cameras live and warn people off through a speaker.
Privacy and signs
Alberta’s and BC’s private-sector privacy laws (both called PIPA) apply to video recorded by businesses, condo corporations and stratas. Post signs at the entrances, point cameras at common areas only, keep video only as long as you need it, and limit who can view it. BC stratas should also read our guide to cameras in BC strata buildings. This is general information, not legal advice.
Cabling and network
Parkade walls and ceilings are concrete, so cable routes are planned early. Most cameras run on network cable that also carries power (PoE), on their own network separate from the building’s other systems. See networks and Wi-Fi.
Planning parkade cameras?
We’ll walk the parkade with you, suggest camera positions and give you a written quote.
Security cameras near you: EdmontonCalgaryRed DeerKelowna. See also multi-family security
Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
We repair and take over cameras, access control, intercoms and alarms installed by other companies, when your current provider has fallen short.
Guides: Licence plate recognition (LPR)
Questions
How many cameras does a parkade need?
It depends on the number of entrances, levels, ramps and rooms. We count from the site walk: every way in and out first, then aisles and rooms.
Why do parkade cameras struggle at night?
Headlights shine into the lens and low light hides detail. Cameras with wide dynamic range, good placement and even lighting fix most of it.
Can cameras read licence plates at our gate?
Yes, with a camera set up for plates at the gate. A general overview camera rarely captures a readable plate.
Can the gate open for residents’ cars automatically?
Yes. Plate recognition or a fob reader at the gate can open it for registered vehicles, through your access control.
Can someone watch the parkade cameras overnight?
Yes. Remote video monitoring through our monitoring partner can watch the cameras live and warn people off through a speaker.
Do we need signs?
Yes. Post signs at entrances saying video is recorded, why, and who to contact. Privacy law in Alberta and BC expects notice.
Do we get admin access?
Yes. We hand over admin access and full documentation on every project.
More answers: Security camera questionsGlossary: NVRvideo analytics
Get a parkade camera quote
Tell us about the parkade: levels, entrances and what’s been happening. We’ll follow up to book a site walk.
Call and a real person answers, 24/7 for emergencies.