Nova Scotia hospitals to offer free parking starting May 1
Premier Tim Houston fulfills his election promise to eliminate parking fees at health-care sites in Nova Scotia, effective Thursday morning. This move was a pledge made by all three political parties in the last provincial election, acknowledging the existing parking challenges at busy locations such as the IWK Health Centre, Dartmouth General, and Victoria General.
In a news release issued on Wednesday, Houston expressed the public’s anticipation for this change. He stated, “Nova Scotians shouldn’t have to worry about parking fees when they’re sick and seeking health care or caring for our loved ones.” The release outlined that individuals utilizing the parking lots will need to have their tickets validated to confirm they are either patients, visitors, or staff members.
Furthermore, it was noted that the specifics of the free-parking initiative may vary depending on each facility’s unique infrastructure and capacity limitations. NDP Leader Claudia Chender had previously voiced support for the plan but raised concerns regarding the busiest locations in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
At the IWK Health Centre, a parking garage was demolished to make space for a new emergency department, resulting in lengthy queues on University Avenue as individuals attempt to access the remaining parking garage. Signs posted outside the IWK indicate that during peak hours, staff members are not permitted to park on site. Additionally, at the Victoria General site, Nova Scotia Health implemented a valet program to accommodate more vehicles in the high-demand lot.
The province estimates that the implementation of the new parking plan will incur an annual cost of $19 million. Nova Scotia Health currently operates 39 parking lots across the province that charge for parking. Premier Houston assured that the government will provide compensation to hospital foundations and other charitable organizations that may experience financial losses due to the elimination of parking fees.
