Whenever rates increase \u2013 it’s rare \u2013 so does online and coffee shop chatter<\/p>\n
Published Feb 23, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0day ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 5 minute read<\/p>\n
![\"Sault](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/0224-sm-a1-sah-explain.jpg\")
Sault Area Hospital, one of whose parking gates is pictured, says Ontario hospitals rely on parking fees as a revenue source to supplement government funding, and parking revenues are used both to offset maintenance costs and to generate revenue, supporting \u2018vital\u2019 community patient care programs. JEFFREY OUGLER\/THE SAULT STARArticle content<\/p>\n
Few are neutral\u00a0when asked\u00a0about\u00a0having to pay for\u00a0Sault Area Hospital\u00a0\u2013 or any hospital \u2013\u00a0parking. So, whenever\u00a0Sault Ste. Marie\u2019s principal\u00a0health-care\u00a0facility opts to raise the cost for parking at its Great Northern Road facility\u00a0\u2013 as it did late last year-\u00a0chatter\u00a0is\u00a0bound to\u00a0abound.\u00a0Especially in this\u00a0curious\u00a0age of social media when many shoot from the hip despite having little grasp\u00a0of\u00a0details.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Naturally, there\u00a0remain\u00a0misconceptions as to\u00a0why hospital\u00a0patients\u00a0and visitors must pay for parking in the first place\u00a0and\u00a0where, exactly, revenue\u00a0is directed.\u00a0Now that the dust has settled\u00a0somewhat after\u00a0the most recent increase,\u00a0here is\u00a0a brief explanation\u00a0as to why hospital parking fees exist and where\u00a0profits are placed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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How did Sault Area Hospital explain the\u00a0most recent\u00a0cost increase, which took effect Dec. 31?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Effective Dec. 31, the per exit fee increased from $6 to $7.50<\/a>\u00a0for patients,\u00a0visitors\u00a0and the public. On Jan. 1,\u00a0parking\u00a0rates also increased for staff and physicians. SAH anticipates an overall deficit for a second consecutive year, with a \u201csignificant\u201d\u00a0shortfall\u00a0projected for fiscal 2025\/26. Ontario hospitals must publicly post\u00a0parking\u00a0revenue.\u00a0Assuming maintenance costs and\u00a0parking\u00a0volumes\u00a0remain\u00a0stable, the new rates will increase net annual\u00a0parking\u00a0revenue by $480,000.\u00a0Revenue is split\u00a0almost evenly\u00a0between staff and the public.<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Do Ontario hospitals choose to charge for parking\u00a0\u2013 and charge whatever they want?\u00a0<\/p>\n No.\u00a0In fact, the\u00a0Ontario Hospital\u00a0Parking\u00a0Directive<\/a>\u00a0requires\u00a0hospitals to apply a standardized calculation to\u00a0determine\u00a0the\u00a0parking\u00a0rate they are allowed to charge.\u00a0For SAH, this calculation results in a rate that could be as high as $13 per exit. This amount varies for other hospitals depending on\u00a0parking\u00a0options. SAH\u00a0said\u00a0it was\u00a0implementing an increase that reflected\u00a0cumulative inflation over the past decade, during which no rate adjustments were made. Although the\u00a0latest\u00a0increase is 25 per cent,\u00a0it\u00a0remains\u00a0below both the maximum rate\u00a0permitted\u00a0by the directive<\/a>\u00a0and the cumulative inflation over the past 10-year period.<\/p>\n Does hospital parking revenue go toward subsidizing employee raises?\u00a0<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n No. Sault Area Hospital\u00a0\u2013 and Ontario hospitals \u2013\u00a0rely on\u00a0parking\u00a0fees as a revenue<\/a>\u00a0source to supplement government funding, used both to offset maintenance costs and to generate revenue, supporting \u201cvital\u201d community patient care programs.\u00a0The\u00a0hospital\u00a0has said on the record it does not consider\u00a0parking\u00a0fees\u00a0as\u00a0\u201csome\u00a0cash\u00a0cow. We look at it as a way to sustain\u00a0quality\u00a0health care in Sault Ste. Marie.\u201d<\/p>\n Do staff and\u00a0physicians\u00a0pay the same rate as patients and visitors?\u00a0<\/p>\n Yes. The\u00a0staff\u00a0monthly rate is posted on the\u00a0hospital\u2019s website<\/a>, and it is the same as a monthly public pass. The past staff rate is $66.67, and the new rate is $83.33 monthly. The new rate for physicians is $1,000 annually.\u00a0<\/p>\n When was the last time SAH increased parking rates?\u00a0<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Ten years ago, in January 2016, and the per-exit rate had since remained at $6 before the latest increase. At that time, Sault Area Hospital branded a funding freeze as the chief factor in its decision. Before that, SAH parking rates had remained unchanged since 2009.<\/p>\n Had\u00a0SAH\u00a0considered\u00a0increasing rates\u00a0prior to\u00a0its December announcement?\u00a0<\/p>\n Yes.\u00a0The\u00a0increase\u00a0was\u00a0contemplated for several years<\/a>\u00a0but was deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic and inflationary economic pressures. Increases traditionally occur at the start of\u00a0a\u00a0new calendar year to\u00a0maintain\u00a0alignment between staff and public\u00a0parking\u00a0rates.\u00a0<\/p>\n Does the hospital offer discounts?\u00a0<\/p>\n Yes.\u00a0Discounted\u00a0parking\u00a0passes\u00a0providing\u00a0several\u00a0parking\u00a0options will continue to be offered, and updated pricing is available on the\u00a0hospital\u2019s website<\/a>.\u00a0Also, SAH\u00a0parking\u00a0lots have an entry-to-exit\u00a0grace\u00a0time of 20 minutes and a payment-to-exit\u00a0grace\u00a0time of 30 minutes.\u00a0In June 2021,\u00a0a\u00a0new\u00a0parking\u00a0system<\/a>\u00a0was installed, which was\u00a0billed to feature more\u00a0parking\u00a0pass and credit\/debit tap payment options. In\u00a0fact,\u00a0a 24-hour pass\u00a0was introduced, allowing for unlimited exits in a 24-hour\u00a0period.\u00a0<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Were\u00a0parking fees suspended at all during the COVID-19 pandemic?\u00a0<\/p>\n Yes. All\u00a0health-care workers,\u00a0patients\u00a0and\u00a0visitors,\u00a0received\u00a0relief for\u00a0a few\u00a0months\u00a0in 2020 at the pandemic\u2019s height.\u00a0The move was geared to ease the \u201cfinancial burden\u201d placed on many families during the pandemic as well as serve as a \u201crecognition of the incredible commitment and dedication of our staff in keeping the community\u00a0safe\u00a0at this time.\u201d\u00a0The July resumption was in line with\u00a0ushering\u00a0in\u00a0Stage 2 reopening in much of Ontario, including\u00a0Algoma\u00a0District.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Was there\u00a0much\u00a0negative\u00a0reaction to the latest parking fee increase?\u00a0<\/p>\n A Dec. 3 SAH social media post,\u00a0outlining\u00a0the rate increase,\u00a0indicated\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0\u201climited who can comment on this post,\u201d\u00a0perhaps\u00a0a\u00a0reaction to\u00a0unfavourble\u00a0comments.\u00a0Ontario Health Coalition, which advocates for publicly funded health care,\u00a0immediately\u00a0voiced its opposition<\/a>.\u00a0In fact,\u00a0OHC argues\u00a0all medical services ought to be provided without user fees,\u00a0even\u00a0suggesting\u00a0SAH,\u00a0itself,\u00a0should\u00a0\u201cspeak out more strongly against\u201d having\u00a0to charge\u00a0for parking\u00a0in the first\u00a0place.\u00a0Also, a\u00a0group that\u00a0assists\u00a0Sault Area Hospital cancer patients\u00a0shoulder\u00a0parking fees called the increase<\/a> \u201cnot a\u00a0good\u00a0news story for us at all.\u201d Dennis Dinelle,\u00a0whose late wife, Tracy, adopted an activist role following her 2012 cancer diagnosis, being instrumental in the launch of Tracy\u2019s Dream<\/a>, told The Sault Star he was \u201ctaken back pretty\u00a0good\u201d\u00a0upon learning\u00a0of\u00a0the increase.\u00a0By early\u00a0December, the charity\u00a0had\u00a0received some 800 calls for\u00a0assistance, marking an ever-increasing demand.\u00a0<\/p>\n Advertisement 7<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n How do Sault Area Hospital rates\u00a0rate?\u00a0<\/p>\n Parking\u00a0here still appears to be less expensive than that of SAH\u2019s nearest counterpart, at least for flat rates.\u00a0Parking\u00a0at Health Sciences North<\/a> (HSN),\u00a0in Sudbury,\u00a0has a daily flat rate of $8 per exit for general lots, with options for\u00a0one-day\u00a0($11.50), five-day ($28) and 10-day ($50) passes. The pay and display lot at the Northeast Cancer Centre has a daily maximum of $10.\u00a0Parking\u00a0meters are also available at\u00a0a\u00a0rate\u00a0of $2 per hour, as they are at SAH.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jeffrey Ougler has covered health care for The Sault Star for the better part of 28 years.<\/p>\n