Front line hospital workers like Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, Doctors and other Healthcare Professionals have always been relied upon to provide high quality care to their patients. During the COVID pandemic this has only amplified the amount of work they are doing to support some of the sickest patients they have cared for in their careers. 

The BC government and local health authorities elected to suspend the need for their hospital employees to pay for parking during the pandemic. This small token has been very well received by employees and the general public. At the same time the government suspended the need for patients and family to pay for parking, and rightly so. No family members should have the added worry of plugging a parking meter while visiting sick loved ones. 

In BC, first responders like paramedics, fireman, and police do not pay for parking when attending their work shifts. This is the same for most BC public municipal workers and other professions like teachers.

We ask that you support hospital workers, patients and visiting family members by banning pay parking in all BC Health Authorities moving forward.