Alberta Health Services (AHS) has been given direction from the Alberta government to suspend parking fees temporarily for health care workers and the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staring April 2 all AHS facilities will have free parking until further notice, this change will also release the risk of any potential spread of COVID-19 as people will not have to use touch screens and buttons at payment sites. 

With many health-care workers and physicians are working from home according to a government news release along with others that may need to work at different sites removing parking fees and the need for parking passes will make these transitions easier.

“Health-care workers and the general public should not have to worry about paying for parking in the midst of responding to COVID-19," says Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro.  "Our government will provide whatever resources are needed to protect Albertans during the COVID-19 emergency.”

With parking temporarily being free this will mean an estimated loss of parking revenue of $7.6 million per month. Alberta joins British Columbia in announcing this decision and other provinces are expected to follow shortly.

While parking will be free, visitors are being asked to be respectful of spaces allocated for staff, including those for emergency use. With this new parking policy starting on April 3 parking violations, such as parking in fire lanes, will continue to be enforced.  The temporary suspension will end once visitor restrictions are lifted.