Halifax Infirmary parking problems frustrate staff

The demolition of the Robie Street parkade at the Halifax Infirmary has severely reduced parking availability, forcing some employees to make significant adjustments to their work routines.

Ashley Sharpe has been a registered nurse for 17 years. She recently switched to working overnight shifts, which is something she has not done in years, but she said the change was necessary to secure a parking spot.

“The anxiety of not knowing where I am going to park is not worth it,” said Sharpe.

The hospital demolished one of its primary parkades to make room for the construction of a new building, which will create room for more patients.

“I did consider terminating my employment in this particular facility to go to a place that has access to parking,” said Sharpe.

While there is a parkade on the other side of the hospital and 100 spots are reserved for staff, only those carpooling with two other employees can have access to it. The hospital is also encouraging staff to take public transit.

The Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU) says it has received numerous complaints about the parking issue, both before and after it shut down on Monday.

“They cannot find a safe and secure space,” said Sandra Mullen, president of NSGEU. “They’re not well lit. They’re very temporary at this point. We have members who have to be at the worksite before transit even passes their home.”

Staff can also park their vehicles at Citadel Hill and the high school across from it, but that is a temporary solution.

“We know that next week schools go back full force, so the high school parking area that our members were using over the summer, that’s not going to be available to them,” Mullen said.

Across the harbour at Dartmouth General Hospital, parking remains plentiful and accessible, which has led some staff members to seek shifts in Dartmouth instead of Halifax to avoid the parking hassle.

“We have a lot of staff that work casually and they can pick and choose where they want to pick up their shifts,” said Sharpe.

Mullen said it is the responsibility of the employer to provide an accessible way for people to get to work and to recognize that peoples needs vary.

“This is just going to add to the already short staffing,” she said. 

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