Hospital Pay Parking .ca

*** 2023 Fiscal Year Pay Parking Revenues Posted ***

Pay parking returned to all BC public hospitals following the mandated free-for-all parking during the pandemic. We're still fighting to end this exploitative practice.

HospitalPayParking.ca is the central resource for Canadians who oppose the exploitative practice of pay parking at our publicly funded hospitals. The campaign is primarily focused on the policies in British Columbia. Our objective is to end the obligatory pay parking trap and transition to something better that works for everyone. The only way we will accomplish this objective is with your help.

The internet is littered with the wreckage of failed petitions, abandoned Facebook groups, a softball CBC exposé, emotional pleas for change and general ranting about this scourge that has infested nearly all of our public hospitals. None of these efforts have made one bit of difference. It's time for a new strategy.

The people who ensure hospital pay parking remains status quo need to be told it's not acceptable. So far, they have not been confronted with any effective opposition, even while public anger has been kept to a near boil for years. Whether you've recently visited one of our fine health care establishments and had to worry about feeding a parking meter, or if you were presented with a "ticket" for failing to yield the sufficient contribution into that meter, you'll be delighted to know we're organizing to finally reform this nonsense.

Pay parking is a user fee that discriminates. Only hospital patients and their supporters pay the fee, and only at certain hospitals. Due to the fact our cities were designed around the automobile, most people arrive at the hospital with a need for parking. Therefore it is only reasonable to conclude that health care delivery starts at the property line with proper parking facilities. We think the current welcome message at BC hospitals of "Hi, I’m the pay parking machine and I am your first priority at this hospital. Pay me." should be changed to one that welcomes people with empathetic compassion.

Canadians, who are taxed to death, fund all of the insurable services as defined by the Canada Health Act. This is socialized medicine; everyone shares in the cost to provide the service. Our province's five (geographic) Health Authorities are entrusted with multi-billion dollar operating budgets. In comparison, the ill-gotten gains from hospital pay parking contribute a pittance. Adding up to less than one-third of one percent of their total budget, these funds are obviously not a financial necessity and have no place in our publicly funded system.

This challenge won't be easy. Our Health Authorities are saddled up with big business. Together they view patients and their supporters urgent need for hospital parking as an opportunity to turn a profit. Easy profits from pay parking can become addictive. The good people at the helm of our Health Authorities have demonstrated they can't resist this easy, stable and predictable revenue stream. With your help we will eradicate this addiction.

Our communities take great pride in the level of health care we can all access in British Columbia. Many of us want to ensure the crown jewel of our social safety net is well funded and adequately staffed with skilled personnel and modern infrastructure. We think there is a better way to manage hospital parking; one that works for everyone and exploits no one.