Cheaper hospital parking across Quebec to start April 1

Starting next month, it will cost less to park athospitals and other health care establishmentsacross Quebec a result of years of pressure from patients committees and consumer advocates to endwhat oneMontreal city councillor called "abusive" rates.

Quebec's Health Ministry issued a change in parking directives last August, however, the new directives don't go into effect until April 1.

Here are the highlights:

• Hospital visitors will be able to park for free at hospitals in Quebec for the first 30 minutes, instead of paying as much as $10 for that first half hour.
• A flatdaily rate will notbe applied until a vehicle has been parked for more than four hours, a big change from the current practice of charging the maximum dailyrate after 90 minutes.
• Health care institutions must offer weekly and monthly parking passes, as well as books of tickets, at reduced rates.
• Health care institutions must offer daily parking passes that allow motorists to come and go without penalty.

'People found it abusive': Lionel Perez

Lionel Perez, Montreal's executive committee member responsible for infrastructure, has beenworking for yearson getting hospitals to review their parking rates policy.

• Hospital parking rates a 'tax' on sick Canadians

Perez told CBC'sHomerun thatparking rules haven't changedsince 2007 despite vast changes to the hospital network, such as the construction of the new McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and the new Centre hospitalier de l'Universit de Montral(CHUM).

"Everybody understands that the hospital has to cover its costs. But it got to a point where people found it abusive," Perez said.

Pierre Hurteau, a member of the MUHC's patients committee, said the parking changesaregreat news for people onlow incomes especially those who have to go to the hospitalregularly.

"Certainly for families with a lot of children, or [people with] low income, or seniors who don't have a lot of income, this will be a relief for them," Hurteau said.

To ensure stability, the ministry has said its new policy won't be revised again for at least four years, Perez said.

• MUHC hospital parking rates questioned by CDN-NDG councillor