MONTREAL – Elissa Walfish wanted to drive to the Royal Victoria hospital at the new Glen Site to visit a friend, but she decided against it because of the high parking fees.
“$25 is too much for people to come here and park,” she said.
So, she opted to take an Uber instead.
READ MORE: MUHC Users’ Committee takes high parking fees complaint to Quebec Ombudsman
“It was fine and it was cheaper and I only came to deliver Christmas gifts so I’m in and out,” Walfish told Global News.
The MUHC has repeatedly come under fire for its parking rates since it opened last spring.
Last month, Quebec’s ombudsman called for a review on the rates.
Now, the healthcare centre said it’s working on improving its services.
The hospital introduced a series of new parking rates for its underground lots on the MUHC sites, effective midnight Thursday, devising a new seven-day flexipass for $100 – about $15 a day.
READ MORE: City councillor lobbies for easier access to MUHC
The daily one-off rate came down to $25 from $30 and it’s now usable at multiple MUHC sites.
That means if a patient has an appointment at the Royal Vic in the morning and the General in the afternoon, they can use the same pass.
Four week clinical passes are now $70 instead of $110, available to anyone with a longterm treatment plan, not just cancer and dialysis patients.
READ MORE: Montreal’s superhospital parking fees under fire
Hospital officials said accessibility and affordability were important in devising the new rates.
“We estimate that 85 per cent of our patient population will benefit from these new measures,” said Imma Franco, Director of planning and technical services at the MUHC.
“There are probably 15 per cent of our patients that come less frequently who would pay the $25 rate.”
A patients’ committee worked with the MUHC on the rates.
While it said it is fairly satisfied with some of the reduced long term rates, daily prices are still too expensive
“For some patients, $25 is very high,” said Mario DiCarlo, co-chairman of the MUHC’s Users’ Committee.
“It represents food on the table, it represents making a choice between taking their medication or coming to the appointment.”
The hospital’s express parking lot fees will stay the same, at $30 after 90 minutes.
READ MORE: Quebec ombudsman recommends review of MUHC parking fees
It had reduced that rate in October from $50.
The MUHC said it will review its parking rates on an annual basis; the next one will be in August next year.
Nevertheless, officials said they rely on revenue from its parking lots to help pay down the hefty price tag of the hospital, so it’s unlikely rates will come down again any time soon.
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