Almonte General Hospital introducing gated, paid parking this month

The parking lot at the Almonte General Hospital. May 28, 2024. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa)

Changes are coming to the Almonte General Hospital (AGH) with a new gated, paid parking system set to be implemented this month.

The Mississippi River Health Alliance says starting mid-August—an exact date has yet to be announced—visitors to the hospital in Almonte will have to pay a $5 fee to park for up to 24 hours with in and out access. Weekly, monthly, and annual passes for frequent visitors will also be available.

“This was a careful and considered decision made to protect the services and infrastructure our patients, residents, and families rely on,” said Mississippi River Health Alliance President and CEO Brad Harrington in a news release. “The revenue generated will stay right here in our hospitals, directly supporting the continued delivery of high-quality care across our region, where it is most needed.”

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This move is intended to bring the Almonte General Hospital into alignment with the Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital (CPDMH), which has charged for parking for several years.

“While parking fees are new to AGH, CPDMH has maintained a fee structure for many years. This will create consistency across all sites, while remaining among the lowest hospital parking rates in the region,” the Mississippi River Health Alliance says.

“We understand that parking changes can be inconvenient, but this decision is rooted in our responsibility to maintain safe, high-quality care across all our sites,” said Harrington. “This change helps protect the future of local health care and ensures that patient care remains our top priority. We’re committed to making this transition as smooth and transparent as possible.”

In 2024, the hospital said it would be introducing a $4 per-visit fee to help cover the costs of the hospital’s new CT scanner. A spokesperson for the Mississippi River Health Alliance says further discussion took place over the last year and the $4 fee was never implemented, so parking had remained free. This new pay program is now set to begin this month.

Payment at the Almonte General Hospital visitor and staff lots will be by credit or debit card only, or with a staff parking pass. Residents of the Fairview Manor long-term care home will receive one complimentary parking pass each, to be displayed in parking lot #4.