You could end up paying a hefty fine for parking at the QEII in Halifax if you are not actually using the facility.
Brendan Elliott, a spokesperson for Nova Scotia Health tells us they are looking into how they can deter anyone who uses a parking spot but has no “business” there.
And it isn’t cheap.
“If they cannot explain why they were in that parking garage for hospital reasons, they will be slapped with a $500 summary offence ticket,” says Elliott.
It comes as the province deals with high demand for parking in the Halifax area after it became free at all hospitals and health facilities earlier this month.
Elliott says, right now if you are using a parking spot without a reason to be at the hospital, you get a warning.
“But we are working with our government partners to find a way to ensure that we have authority to issue a $500 ticket to drivers of vehicles parked without a valid authorization to be there,” says Elliott.
He adds, once they get permission from government partners, then they’ll start putting tickets in windshields.
“We need to make sure it’s not a free for all. For people who are not parking for the hospital we need to make it absolutely clear to them,” says Elliott.
As a warning, he says, there will be signs posted.
At this point, they have not seen a lot of people abusing the free parking, but they do not want to make it an option.
Tough for staff
Parking at hospitals has been a contentious issue for staff in Halifax for a long time but has gotten worse since it became free.
As of Tuesday, 175 more spots were available to healthcare workers in the Summer Street parkade.
However, according to the health authority they are still short about 4,000 spots in Halifax with a need for over 6,000 and only 2,300 available.
Elliott says they recognize for staff there aren’t many options and at times they park where they are not supposed to, such as in the parkade between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
“We don’t want them to because they are really meant for patients and visitors, but we recognize that in some cases, they have no other choice,” adds Elliott.
So, to help, they have capped the fee to park in those spots at $14.50 no longer how long they take.
In addition to that, Elliott says they have “turned over every rock” and are exploring “every possible option”.
The news of the $500 fine was sent to staff in a memo.
