VANCOUVER -- Update: Changes to parking enforcement at B.C. medical facilities and on Vancouver streets were announced later on Monday.
A nurse given a parking ticket while working at a Vancouver hospital will be refunded, the company that monitors the lot claims.
In an email to CTV News Vancouver Monday, a spokesperson from REEF Technology said a representative of customer service has reached out to the driver.
"Please understand we're doing our best to support our health-care partners by maintaining duties of our health authority contract," the company said.
"We remain committed to supporting a community of heroic employees through this trying time."
The nurse, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing her job, spoke to CTV late last week about the ticket.
She said she failed to pay for parking when she arrived at the start of her shift.
"With how tired I was working long hours, I forgot to pay one time."
When she left work at the end of the day, she found the $80 ticket.
She said she called Impark, a company managed by REEF, and tried to explain her situation.
The company ultimately did charge her, but dropped the fee to less than half of what was outlined on the ticket.
Still, she and many others felt parking companies should be going easy on those on the front lines of the health-care crisis.
Several strangers contacted CTV News with offers to foot the bill, saying they'd e-transfer the money to the nurse to cover the fine.
And the nurse's husband added even those not in the health-care field could likely use a break.
"I can only imagine the folks that are facing dire financial circumstances," he said last week.
Another woman who spoke to CTV News said she was ticketed while running errands for a friend – something she says she does to reduce the number of people risking exposure by going to grocery stores and other public places.
The city did not respond to request for comment from CTV News last week, but announced publicly Monday it was making amends to its parking policy for the time being.
The province announced Monday the suspension of parking enforcement at all B.C. health authority sites including hospitals.
Following this, REEF emailed another statement to CTV News regarding the nurse who will be refunded for her ticket.
"We thank those who brought this opportunity to support frontline workers to our attention. Just like you, we are navigating an unprecedented situation," a spokesperson said.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Allison Hurst
