Ontario government facing calls to lift hospital parking lot fees

The provincial government is facing calls to give hospital patients and their families a break, in removing parking fees for those who visit.

Debbie MacGregor’s mom passed away earlier this year after a seven-year struggle with cancer, and over that time she accumulated a stack of parking receipts.

“The thousands and thousands of dollars that – my daughter and I figure it’s more than $7,000 that we spent on parking – just to be with my mom,” said MacGregor.

Those parking fees added to the stress of dealing with a loved one’s illness.

“And I miss her, and this weekend is Mother’s Day – my first Mother’s Day without her,” said MacGregor.

“Cancer costs the average patient in Canada about $33,000 in the course of their lifetime,” said Steve Piazza, the director of advocacy at the Canadian Cancer Society.

The Canadian Cancer Society says half of the cost of cancer is from out-of-pocket expenses, including parking.

The society is supporting the Ontario NDP’s call for free parking at hospitals.

“We’re talking about a tax on sick people,” said Jeff Burch, the NDP member of provincial parliament for Niagara Centre. “No one should have to worry about paying for parking when they go to the hospital.”

The Nova Scotia government banned hospital parking fees this month.

“Nova Scotians shouldn’t have to worry about parking fees when they’re sick and seeking healthcare or caring for our loved ones,” said Premier Tim Houston.

Like Nova Scotia, the NDP is calling on Ontario to provide free hospital parking.

“I believe it’s the responsibility of the provincial government to fund hospitals so that we don’t have to charge parking fees,” said Wayne Gates, the member of provincial parliament for Niagara Falls. “People who are going to the hospital, they’re going there out of necessity – it’s not like a vacation.”

The provincial government says it is already making record investments in hospitals.

“We’re investing in a world-class health system,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario’s finance minister. “We’re investing record amounts in healthcare.”

“I understand that there are challenges when people want and need to visit our hospitals,” said Sylvia Jones, Ontario’s health minister, “but there is also the other side when we want to invest in people, in equipment, in capital.”

Part of the argument against free parking is that passes and programs are available to help reduce parking costs already.

MacGregor said no one offered her a break.

“Why are we having to have the extra expenses on top of everything else”,” said MacGregor. “We should not have to pay for parking and the staff should not have to pay for parking.”

There is also the argument that parking money goes into the hospitals, but the NDP says that’s only part of where the money goes.

They say some money goes to the third parties that operate the parking lots.

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