Premier Tim Houston is going ahead with an election promise to eliminate parking fees at health-care sites in Nova Scotia, starting Thursday morning.
The move was a promise from all three parties in the last provincial election, but came with concerns that parking is already an issue in busy locations including the IWK Health Centre, Dartmouth General and Victoria General.
In a news release Wednesday, Houston said people have been eager to see the change.
“Nova Scotians shouldn’t have to worry about parking fees when they’re sick and seeking health care or caring for our loved ones,” he said.
The release said people using the lots will need to get tickets validated to ensure they are patients, visitors, or staff.
It added that “specific details surrounding the free-parking initiative could vary” based on each “facility’s unique infrastructure and capacity limitations.”
When the plan was first announced, NDP Leader Claudia Chender supported the idea, but raised concerns specifically about the busiest locations in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
The IWK tore down one of its parking garages to create room for the new emergency department. That has created long lineups on University Avenue as people try to enter the remaining parking garage.
Signs outside the IWK say staff are not allowed to park on site during those peak hours.
At the nearby Victoria General, Nova Scotia Health started a valet program to double park vehicles and maximize space in the high–demand lot.
The province estimates that the new parking plan will cost $19 million annually.
Nova Scotia Health said it has 39 parking lots in the province that currently charge for parking. Houston said the government will compensate hospital foundations and any other charitable groups that will lose money as a result of the elimination of fees.
