OHA President Anthony Dale claims that “revenue generated from parking fees is always used for patient care”, as well as research, the purchase of equipment, and daily hospital operations and maintenance.
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The Liberal government agrees and today froze parking fees for the next 3 years and for those lots charging more than $10 a day, they will have to offer multi-day passes of 5, 10 and 30 days that are 50% off that daily rate; something hospitals in Ottawa already seem to do.
In a statement Monday, Dale said hospitals do their best to provide parking solutions that work well for patients and visitors, but also for the organization’s operational needs.
Brampton’s Civic Hospital charges 15 dollars a day, and in Alliston – at Stevenson Memorial – it’s just 5 dollars a day.
Hoskins says patients get better faster when surrounded by their loved ones, and he doesn’t think parking fees should be a barrier for families who have to make frequent visits to a hospital.
After the three-year period, any parking rate increases can not exceed the rate of inflation, said Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins.
Hoskins admitted parking generates $100 million a year in profit for Ontario hospitals, from about $172 million paid in fees, but he didn’t offer additional funding.
Here in Ottawa, parking revenue netted the Ottawa Hospital $12.4 million a year ago, the Queensway Carleton $2.4 million and CHEO and the Montfort about $2 million dollars. “We will review the new guidelines and assess their impact on our current parking practices”.
The OHA says the decision to cut their revenues by capping and discounting parking fees “could not come at a worse time”.
“With today’s announcement, we are providing relief from the high cost of parking at some hospitals in Ontario”, says Hoskins.
An estimated 36 hospitals across Ontario now charge $10 or more for parking. “As hospitals continue to absorb hundreds of millions in operating costs without an inflationary increase, it is increasingly hard for them to invest in other important health care priorities, such as capital improvements to their buildings, new medical and diagnostic equipment, and information and communications technology”.
It is not clear, however, that the announced changes will make much difference to local patients and their families.
Ontario is making hospital parking more affordable for thousands of patients, their loved ones and caregivers. Each hospital will provide details on its specific parking policy and discounts.
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Approximately 900,000 patients and visitors – including 135,000 seniors – are expected to benefit from reduced parking fees every year.
