Paid parking resumes at Georgian Bay General Hospital

Paid parking resumes at Georgian Bay General starting Tuesday (Courtesy: Georgian Bay General Hospital)

Barrie, Ont. — If you're making your way to Midland's hospital, be prepared to take out your wallet again after more than a year of free parking.

Starting Tuesday, Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBBH) will reinstate paid parking.

Parking has been free at the health centre since April 2020 to "alleviate parking expenses for patients and visitors during the particularly difficult times of the pandemic.".

The hospital replaced its parking system during that same period, which it believes will be "more reliable and user-friendly."

"Paid parking is an important source of revenue for hospitals as it enables us to replace ageing equipment for patient care," says Matthew Lawson, executive vice president of Corporate Services and chief financial officer, in a statement.

"GBGH has some of the lowest parking rates in Central Ontario. However, paid parking still contributes significantly to our annual budget. Hospital equipment is not funded by the government, so we must find other sources of income – such as fundraising and parking – to replace much-needed equipment."

Parking gates have also been reinstalled to regulate exit and entry to and from the lot from either Highway 93 or Penetanguishene Road.