Dennis Ogrodnick, left, is a former city councillor who has been fighting an SHA policy that charges parking fees to cancer patients. (submitted photo)

By Susan McNeil

Parking fees

Former P.A. city councilor still fighting parking fees for cancer patients

Aug 19, 2025 | 5:00 PM

Dennis Ogrodnick, a member of Prince Albert city council until the last election and a cancer patient, is continuing his battle against parking fees at Saskatchewan health facilities.

Ogrodnick stood with members of the Saskatchewan NDP caucus today to re-iterate his stance against “cruel, mean-spirited” parking fees that are charged to anyone who accesses the hospital by driving. Until recently, cancer patients were exempt.

“I shouldn’t be fighting my government; I should be fighting my disease,” Ogrodnick said. “People with cancer have enough to deal with. This isn’t who we are, this isn’t the Saskatchewan I know and love.”

When he was first diagnosed with kidney cancer around two years ago, he got a free pass to the Victoria Hospital parking lot which he would use when accessing his chemotherapy treatments. Some of the former health regions routinely gave out free parking passes to cancer patients until the SHA decided to ‘align policies’ and stopped the practice.

Now, while fighting cancer that he has been told is terminal, Ogrodnick is also fighting that policy at cancer centres in Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, Moose Jaw and in Prince Albert.

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He is also motivated by a promise to a fellow patient and friend that died of pancreatic cancer last year.

Ogrodnick said he isn’t buying the SHA official response that money from parking fees is going back into health care because the lots are operated by private companies.

“Private companies don’t do things like this for free,” Ogrodnick said. “The Sask. Party are just trying to do everything they can to get me to stop.”

He spoke up about the problem in at least one council meeting, has posted his frustration on social media and has also been writing weekly letters to Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill. He talked to paNOW a year ago.

“These parking fees are cruel and mean-spirited,” Ogrodnick said. “If Jeremy Cockrill can’t understand that, he shouldn’t be health minister. I’m going to advocate for all cancer patients until I die from this disease.”

He said he never heard back from Cockrill, but has received responses from his staff. The ministry also said some people were abusing the passes and that weighed into the decision to end them.

Ogrodnick said he often paid for parking even when he had the pass as he could afford it, but he knows that is not the case for all patients.

Recently, Ogrodnick spoke with NDP leader Carla Beck and Rural and Remote Health shadow minister, Jared Clarke about his campaign to re-instate the passes.

“This is the birthplace of Medicare — and that means everyone receives quality and accessible healthcare,” Clarke said. “We don’t support private companies profiting off cancer patients trying to get the treatment needed to save their lives.

“It’s time we deliver healthcare for every person in Saskatchewan, regardless of where they live or the balance in their bank account. We will put an end to this parking fee scam and do what’s necessary to support patients.”

At the same time, more than two dozen communities that are part of the Community Oncology Program of Saskatchewan still offer free parking.

According to the NDP, the policies for Prince Albert, Moose Jaw and Yorkton were changed in 2024 and then matched what was the practice in Regina and Saskatoon.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

On BlueSky: @susanmcnel.bsky.social