After an almost two-year suspension during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the province has announced pay parking will be brought back to B.C. hospitals, including Burnaby, citing non-hospital users taking advantage of the situation.
Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry previously announced there would be no hospital parking fees. The measure was aimed at stopping the spread of the virus, when possible infectious individuals could be touching screens at kiosks.
In a statement today (Jan. 20), Dix said the parking spots need to be available for patients, staff, volunteers and visitors and that free parking can continue to be extended for people who regularly receive acute-care.
Dix said that non-hospital users were taking advantage of the situation to park for free while "conducting business that's not hospital-related."
"Maintaining across-the-board free hospital parking is making it hard for patients, staff, volunteers and visitors to find a spot, as non-hospital users are taking advantage of the situation to park for free while conducting business that’s not hospital-related," the minister stated.
"These hospital parking spots must be available for those who need them most."
Free parking will be available for patients who are receiving dialysis treatment, those undergoing cancer treatment in acute-care programs and for parents or caregivers of children staying in hospital overnight.
The province says volunteers will still be allowed to park for free and financial hardship provisions will continue to be handled on a case-by-case basis by health authorities.
The freezing of parking rates, which happened more than four years ago, will stay in place.
Parking rates at the Burnaby Hospital Parkade and Burnaby Hospital Emergency are as follows, according to Fraser Health:
Main lot - Burnaby Hospital Parkade
- First hour - $4.25
- Each additional hour - $3.50
- Day rate - $11.25
- Evenings - $5.25
- 24-hour rate - $16.50
- One-week permit - $45
- Two-week permit - $70.25
- One month permit - $140.25
- Seniors one-week permit - $33
- Seniors two-week permit - $60.25
- Seniors one-month permit - $120
Burnaby Hospital Emergency Lot
- First hour - n/a
- Each additional hour - $4.25
- Day rate - n/a
- Evenings - n/a
- 24-hour rate - n/a
- One-week permit - n/a
- Two-week permit - n/a
- One-month permit - n/a
- Seniors one-week permit - n/a
- Seniors two-week permit - n/a
- Seniors one-month permit - n/a
- with files from Janis Cleugh, Tri-City News
