Gated parking to be installed at SLMHC

Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre (SLMHC), like many other hospitals in Ontario, is endeavoring to find innovative solutions to ensure that high-quality health care services are provided within funding that is mainly provided by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MoHLTC). In addition to health care services, the organization must find viable solutions to ensure other components of the hospital property not covered by MoHLTC funding, such as parking lots, are maintained for everyone’s safety.  Currently, SLMHC is one of a handful of hospitals in Ontario with free parking. However, the cost to maintain the parking lots is putting a considerable strain on funding that is intended for health care services and as such SLMHC will be introducing paid parking in late Fall.

Fees paid for parking will help to alleviate costs associated with parking lot maintenance.

SLMHC President and CEO Heather Lee explains, “Parking lots require a lot of work to ensure they are safe and in good condition and the hospital can no longer cover the cost of free parking. Revenues collected from paid parking will help to offset the costs associated with parking lot maintenance and allow the organization to utilize its funds provided by the MoHLTC for health care services.”

Patients, visitors, staff, management, and physicians will be required to pay to park on SLMHC grounds. Currently, most hospitals in Ontario charge parking fees that range anywhere from $2 to $20 per visit. At SLMHC, consideration will be taken to ensure that parking fees are kept at reasonable rates.

Upon implementation, vehicles entering parking areas will have to stop at a gate and take a parking stub from a terminal. Upon leaving the facilities, parking stubs must be scanned at kiosks conveniently installed near building exits. The parking stub must be validated by paying the required fee based on the amount of time parked. Payments can be made at kiosks using cash, debit or a valid credit card. Parking exit gates will only open when a validated parking stub has been presented at the exit terminal.

Over the next few months contractors and equipment will be on site at SLMHC to install the new parking system. While construction is underway, we ask that you drive with extra caution and give way to construction equipment and workers.

We anticipate several delays to the flow of traffic in and out of the SLMHC campus throughout the construction process however, emergency medical services will not be affected by these delays.