Hospitals to offer cheaper parking fees

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 21, 2016
By Teresa Latchford

Perseverance has paid off after the province announced this week it will lower hospital parking rates.

York Region resident John Hazlewood - along with other local citizens as the Fair Hospital Parking Charges advocacy group - has advocated, since 2011, for lower parking fees, through meetings with officials, municipal councils and provincial legislators.

This week, Newmarket-Aurora MPP Chris Ballard announced at the Central LHIN office in Markham that, beginning Oct. 1, hospitals that charge more than $10 a day for parking must provide five-day, 10-day and 30-day passes that are 50-per-cent less than their daily rate, transferable between patients and caregivers, allow in-and-out privileges in a 24-hour period and valid for one year.

“The ability to transfer parking passes between family members will go a long way toward helping families visit loved ones in hospital,” Hazlewood said.

“We realize that a goal of zero parking charges is still a long way off, but we also realize the economic impact of this decision.”

“While the public, as a whole, benefits from these initiatives, it has always been our position that it shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of the poor, the elderly or their families in times of crisis to pay the rising prices they’ve encountered while parking at hospitals,” Hazlewood added.

Not everyone is thrilled with the decision.

Ontario Hospital Association chair Anthony Dale has indicated the change will create a $30-million shortfall of the $100 million collected through parking fees used to fund patient care, equipment and research, which are not funded by the province.

However, Ballard points out some hospitals are expected to make more money since visitors will be more likely to use the parking lots instead of alternate parking venues and there will be no change in the daily fees collected. But he does admit there is a possibility that some hospitals may experience a drop in revenue.

“Those who expect to experience a shortfall are being encouraged to work with their LHINs and monitor to see how it settles in the next two years,” Ballard added. “I don’t believe any of the facilities will fall short.”

Markham Stouffville Hospital participated in the province’s consultations regarding parking fees and believes this move is a good one, according to hospital President and CEO Jo-anne Marr.

“We know, for some, the cost can be a burden and we have taken steps to address the issue,” she said.

Currently, Markham Stouffville offers 30- and 120-use parking passes that provide parking at an 80 to 87-per-cent discount. Depending on the pass purchased, users pay $3.17 or $2.16, per use, with the discounts.

“We are better than the 50 per cent proposed,” corporate services vice-president Elena Pacheco added. “Typically, we are flexible if a patient comes to us.”

The next step will be to begin a review of creating five-day and 10-day passes. However, the hospital plans to maintain prices it currently offers even though it exceeds the discounts laid out by the province.

Newmarket’s Southlake Regional Health Centre echoed comments of its neighbouring York Region hospital, confirming it, too, currently offers discounted parking fees on a multi-use basis.

In Ontario, 45 hospitals offer free parking, 54 charge $10 or less per day and 36 charge more than $10 per day.

Southlake currently charges $20 for a daily parking pass, $37 for a seven- day pass and $100 for a monthly pass with all having in-and-out privileges.

Richmond Hill’s Mackenzie Health charges $19.50 for a daily parking pass, $41.50 for a weekly pass and $84 for a monthly pass also with in-and-out privileges.

The government is also directing hospitals not to raise daily parking rates for the next three years.