Parking is now free at all hospitals and healthcare facilities across the province, but how does it actually work?

Brendan Elliott with Nova Scotia Health tells our newsroom, it varies from location to location.

“As of 12:01 a.m. the gates came up or potentially stayed down depending on where you are in the province. It is just as simple as that,” says Elliott.

Validation

Some locations across Nova Scotia will have a validation process involved, such as the Halifax Infirmary, Victoria General, Abby J Lane, Veterans Memorial and Dartmouth General.

Elliott tells us, it’s as simple as taking a ticket on your way in and getting it validated in the hospital.

“There will be someone at an information desk. Or if you happen to be going to get care, there could be someone in your care area who will have a ticket that has been validated, and they’ll swap it out for you,” says Elliott.

However, he says, you will be asked questions on why you are there to discourage anyone trying to cheat the system.

“We also know that Nova Scotians are good people, and they recognize these [parking] spots are for people that are already potentially have some anxiety about having to go to the healthcare facility,” adds Elliott.

What about staff?

Free parking is for not only patients and visitors, but staff as well.

However, at the QEII in Halifax for example, healthcare workers are not allowed to park in the parkade between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Monday to Friday because of the expansion work.

This, Elliott notes, remains the same.

“Nothing has changed when it comes to where you park. The only thing that’s changed is that you will no longer have to pay for where you park, assuming it’s on Nova Scotia Health property,” says Elliot.

QEII staff have also been encouraged to park at places like the Garrison Grounds and College Street, which are also now free of charge.

“In recognition of staff and acknowledging they’re having a tough time with all of this, we’ve reduced the Halifax transit monthly fee to $25 for staff, really encouraging them to keep their vehicles home,” notes Elliot.

Those options were part of their Options for Parking and Transportation program, which had around 1,300 staff sign up last summer -Elliot says that number has significantly increased.

Watch and learn

How free parking will play out in Nova Scotia will remain to be seen.

“As we’re rolling this out, we’re going to evaluate the demand at all of our lots across the province to determine where the big demand is,” says Elliott.

He adds, they will watch and learn and implement new processes if needed.

“The thing that I really want to get across is, if you don’t have any business at the hospital, please find somewhere else to park.”