The plights of cancer patients in particular in Prince Albert and in Saskatchewan has once again been brought to the front burner by former city councillor Dennis Ogrodnick.
Ogrodnick has been battling cancer for more than three years now, and now has to pay for parking each time he visits the Victoria Hospital. When he began treatment in 2023, Ogrodnick said, cancer patients in Prince Albert had access to free parking. However, during the second year the Saskatchewan Health Authority later removed the parking pass after taking over the parking lot.
“It was two years ago that SHA took over the control of the parking lot at the Victoria Hospital and they made a cruel and mean decision to start charging cancer patients for parking,” Ogrodnick said during a press conference in Prince Albert on Friday. “I was in the chemotherapy unit along with five other people. We were in our chairs and a nurse had told us that free parking was over, that the SHA has done that.
“Immediately i said that this was wrong. How can the government do such a thing to people who are in such a vulnerable state? Some are on their death beds. Others are getting necessary treatments otherwise they will be on their death beds, so I said, “I’m not going to let this decision happen.”
Ogrodnick said he’s not the only cancer patient who feels this way. On Friday, he spoke about a promise he made to Shirley, another cancer patient who has since passed, who told him to fight for change.
“(She said), ‘Dennis you are a teacher, a city councillor. You are not scared to talk and be our voice.’ I said, ‘Shirley I promise you that I will fight till my last breathe or the govt makes the change,’” Ogrodnick said.
Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck stood with Ogrodnick at the press briefing. Beck said Prince Albert residents shouldn’t have to advocate to change a policy that is so clearly wrong.
”This isn’t who we are in this province,” Beck said. “This was a mistake.
“We are better than this,” she added. “We deserve better than this in this province.”
Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Rural and Remote Health Jared Clarke was also present at the press conference. Clarke said some Saskatchewan Party MLAs support providing free parking for cancer patients, but thats not enough.
“It’s really quite shameful what Scott Moe has failed to do on this issue,” Clarke said.
Ogrodnick believes that this is a mistake that the Sask party can correct especially as the Sask Party’s budget is set to be introduced in the coming month.
This isn’t the first time Ogrodnick has blasted the Saskatchewan Health Authority for charging cancer patients for hospital parking. IN November 2025, Ogrodnick brought his message directly to the Saskatchewan Legislature.
The day of Ogrodnick’s appearance, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill told reporters hospital parking fees contribute to both infrastructure maintenance and patient care.
“Over half of the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s parking revenue goes to maintaining parking lots, including snow clearing, resurfacing and paint,” Cockrill said. “The remainder goes back into patient care through the health authority’s operating budget.”
Ogrodnick has disputed that explanation, arguing the parking revenue is directed to a contracted public operator, and not for hospital maintenance.
—with files from Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
