Patrons of the new hospital in Courtenay will not be paying to park their vehicle 鈥� at least according to Courtenay council, which has adopted a bylaw amendment to prohibit pay parking.

Yet a few parking meters have been installed at the new facility under construction next to North Island College.

鈥淲e have been instructed to install all of the paid parking equipment and devices to accommodate paid parking,鈥� said Tom Sparrow, chief project officer for the North Island Hospitals Project.

In a statement, Island Health said it has always been clear that pay parking would be in place at the new hospitals in the Comox Valley and Campbell River when they open later this year. Parking fees from the sites will be used to support parking administration, management and enforcement.

鈥淧ay parking will enable us to ensure operational funds that we receive from the province will be spent on the delivery of healthcare services,鈥� the statement says.

Parking infrastructure installation, including electrical wiring, communications conduit, concrete support structures, parking enforcement offices 鈥� and the purchase of parking meters 鈥� was part of the North Island Hospital Project plan from the beginning, predating both municipalities鈥� pay parking bylaws.

鈥淥nce Island Health has clarity on the full impact of the recently-passed local bylaws, we will determine a path forward.鈥�