Record staff
In light of Island Health’s reversal on pay parking, North Island College will be revisiting its own pay parking policies - but not until the end of the month.
On Sept. 1, Island Health announced it will remove pay parking from both North Island Hospitals Project campuses (Courtenay and Campbell River).
It will be status quo at NIC for the time being, with pay parking remaining in effect on the Courtenay campus, until the next board of governors’ meeting, Sept. 28.
“Island Health’s announcement last week to reverse its decision to implement pay parking at area hospitals is a significant change in the operating context for North Island College’s own parking operations and NIC’s need to protect the use of its parking lots for students and employees at the Comox Valley campus,” said NIC president John Bowman, in a press release sent out Tuesday morning.
“As a result of this major change in context, NIC will review the implications of free parking at the Comox Valley hospital site on NIC’s parking operations.
Factors that will be considered in the review will include:
• the long-term best interests of the college, students, employees and the community;
• impacts on students, college employees and community members;
• NIC’s Pay Parking principles;
• College revenue and related expenditures; in 2017/18 and future budgets;
• The college’s environmental sustainability goals;
• Ministry of Advanced Education facilities and financial related policies
“This review will be completed by NIC senior administration by Sept. 25, and will be presented with recommendations to NIC’s board of governors at the Sept. 28 Board meeting.”
Anyone wishing to express their concerns regarding the future of pay parking at the Courtenay NIC campus can do so through email at parking@nic.bc.ca
The new Comox Valley hospital opens Oct. 1.