While the Ontario government has ordered hospitals to reduce parking prices, patients and their families in Ottawa won’t be saving much more.

On Oct. 1 hospitals that charge more than $10 a day for parking will be required to provide five, 10 and 30-day passes to hospital visitors and patients that will have to meet certain requirements.

And one Ottawa hospital is supporting the lowered prices.

“We welcome the news because we’ve been implementing this type of policy for several years,” said Nicole Loreto, vice-president of communications at the Royal Ottawa Hospital.

According to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the passes will be discounted by 50% off the daily rate, passes will be transferable between patients and caregivers, will offer in-and-out privileges throughout a 24-hour period and be good for one year from the date of purchase.

Patients at the Royal Ottawa Hospital can already purchase booklets of five or 16 day passes, and family members of patients get a 60% discount.

Five-day passes are $26 and 16-day passes are $84.35.

While the Ottawa hospital already offers a monthly parking pass for $92.

Loreto said the parking rate fees didn’t take anyone by surprise.

“We were made aware of the changes. The Liberals made this promise a few years back,” she said.

The decision came as a result of consultations with patients, patient advocacy groups, hospitals and the Ontario Hospital Association.

It’s an effort to find a fair plan to reduce the financial burden of parking fees.

From now until Oct. 1, hospitals will work with patient and family advisory councils to implement the new policy.

Each hospital will provide details on its own parking policy and discounts.

“That’s great news. I’ve been coming here pretty much every day for a month. I bought a pass last month and it was $92,” said Brennan Long, of Ottawa, outside the Ottawa Hospital.

As for hospitals that do not operate their own lots, the ministry wants them to do what they can with the private operators to cap or cut parking fees for frequent hospital visitors.

Hospitals will not be allowed to raise their daily parking rates for the next three years.

“Not everybody can afford to pay. It gets expensive when you have to come twice a week but I only come once a year for my daughter. So I don’t mind,” said Nicole Vanasse, from Sherbrooke, Que, also outside the Ottawa Hospital.

In 2015, the Ottawa Hospital netted $18.4 million in parking revenue, up from the 2014 revenue of $ 17.3 million.

All money from parking fees at the Ottawa Hospital goes toward purchasing medical equipment and patient care.

-With files from Dani-Elle Dube

Twitter: @Keaton_Robbins

PARKING RATES AT OTTAWA HOSPITALS

The Ottawa Hospital

1/2 hour $3.50;

Day maximum $13;

Weekly pass $42.25;

Monthly pass $92;

Meter rates:

$0.25 2.5 minutes;

$1 10 minutes.

CHEO

Visitor parking $3.50 per half hour to a 24-hour maximum of $14;

For in-and-out privileges a receipt must be obtained;

Short-term pay-and-display parking spaces are $3.50 per half hour. Limited to 4 hours, no daily maximum;

Night visitors maximum $6.

Queensway Carleton

0-15 mins:free;

16-30 mins $4;

31-60 mins $8;

61-90 mins $11;

Daily maximum $14;

Weekly pass $50;

Monthly pass $105.

Montfort Hospital

1/2 hour $3.50;

Day pass (allows one exit on the same day) $13;

24 hours (multiple visits during a 24-hour period) $17;

Weekly pass $42.50;

Monthly pass $90;

Meter rates (2 minutes) $0.25.

dani-elle.dube@sunmedia.ca