Parking at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

may-13-2017-parking

May 13, 2017

Patient Family Advisors are volunteers who have recent experiences with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences. They contribute to decisions and policies, including parking rates.

Gary Cooper, retired OPP and Patient Family Advisor, was part of a working group tasked to review parking rates at the Hospital.

“No one likes to pay for parking, especially in Thunder Bay where we’re not accustomed to it. The reality is that parking lots are expensive. Without parking fees, the cost to maintain the lots would impact patient care services,” Cooper explained. “We want visits to our Hospital to be as stress free and affordable as possible, so we try to keep the rates low.”

Parking rates at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre are well below the average cost at other Ontario hospitals. At our Hospital, the first hour is $2.00, the maximum daily rate is $7.00, and a weekly pass is $28.00.

Some other hospitals’ parking rates are:

Hospital

Initial Fee

Daily Rate

Extended Rate

London Health Sciences Centre

$4.00 (first hour)

$12.00 maximum

$45.00/week

Hamilton Health Sciences Centre

$3.50 (first ½ hour)

$20.00 maximum

$50/5-day pass

Health Sciences North (Ramsey Lake Health Centre, Sudbury)

$3.00 (first hour)

$10.00 (one-day pass)

No weekly rate.

$80.00/month

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

$2.00

$7.00

$28.00

 

Did you know?

  • Our Hospital has 13 parking lots with a total of 1,988 spaces.

  • Parking lot maintenance costs are more than $1 million each year. This includes asphalt maintenance, clearing snow, painting lines, lighting, and other costs associated with the safe operation of the lots.

  • The costs associated with parking lots are not covered by government funding. Parking rates support the Hospital to direct more funds to patient care. Reducing or eliminating parking rates would mean fewer funds to support health care services.

  • As the number of services we provide increases, so does the need for parking. In 2016, 295 new spaces were added.

  • New legislation capped hospital parking rates and outlined other stipulations to make it easier for patients and families across Ontario. Our Hospital’s parking rates were already well within those compliance requirements.

  • In addition to hourly rates, patients and families also have the option of purchasing unrestricted daily, weekly, or monthly passes.

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