A Calgary nurse hopes to spark a revolt against parking fees for AHS employees

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A Calgary nurse says she's channeling her colleagues' anger into a petition in hopes of removing hospital parking fees charged to AHS employees.

Recent increases in staffing and public parking fees at AHS facilities prompted the effort, said Nicola Mulder, a registered practical nurse at Foothills Medical Center.

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“That was the spark for it, but it was so bad before that — we were all so angry about it,” Mulder said.

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“Coming to work, doing our job and saving lives is ridiculous.”

As of April 1 AHS tells the daily price for parking lot at AHS facilities in large centers of the province increased by 75 cents, and in smaller communities by 50 cents.

Car parking Lots and parks in Calgary and Edmonton saw more growth, while hikes in Red Deer, Leduc, St. Albert, Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie and Lethbridge saw less.

Doctors and AHS employees now pay 3.33 percent more, up from 3.18 parking lot.

Mulder said he currently pays Foothills Medical Center $15 a day for parking, an increase of 75 cents, but it could be more if they are asked to work an extra shift.

“The last thing we want to do is work double shifts and worry about a parking ticket, and with the cost of living, that's an added expense that nobody needs,” he said.

Management told them they could take Calgary Transit to work if they didn't want to pay for parking, but Mulder said after working a heavy shift, “No one wants to spend an hour and a half on the bus.”

Patients and their families have also criticized the parking fee, saying it is an unnecessary expense at a vulnerable time – a sentiment Mulder agrees with.

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“They're also frustrating for patients, but they don't happen every day,” he said.

Because there is no staff or visitor parking on the streets adjacent to the hospitals, “we have to pay,” he said.

The petition woman collected more than 1,000 names on change.org Friday morning, April 4, targeting AHS staff.

Mulder said he does not have a goal for the number of signatures collected.

In February, the opposition NDP criticized the parking fee as a way to fund the U's executive “health care.”

AHS did not respond to a request for comment.

But when they announced the fee increase last February, AHS said fees had not increased in eight years, and the revenue was not used to cover medical expenses and the costs of operating and maintaining the parking lots.

“AHS employees and the public parking lot rates will increase to reflect local market rates and adjust costs for inflation,” AHS said in an email.

“AHS parking lot financial self-sufficiency is required, and AHS responsible for all maintenance costs as well as the costs of building any new parks.“

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High rates needed to cover inflation, costs to maintain facilities, build new ones and pay off loans, AHS stated in the statement.

AHS said parking lot operating income incl parking lot fees and fines are projected to be about $84 million in 2023-24 and about $89 million this year, when it expects to have an operating surplus of $33.25 million as required by law.

“In that case Car parking Services are expected to generate a surplus in a given year, and funds are used for repayment parking lot borrowed or spent parking lot renovation/renovation projects,” the business plan says.

The nurse behind the petition said she understood the need for funding for parking, but said it was unfair to charge critical care workers for parking.

“There has to be another way,” Mulder said.

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X (Twitter) @BillKaufmannjrn

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