Cancer patient who sprayed foam into parking meter won't be charged, police say

A Winnipeg cancer patient who made headlines for spraying foam into a parking meter, to protest high parking rates patients have to pay outside health centres, had a visit from police this morning.

Two officers came to Collin Kennedy's home on Thursday morning, asking him to stop vandalizing any more meters. However, they told him he will not be charged.

Winnipeg police speak with cancer patient Collin Kennedy

8 years ago

Duration 1:39

Two Winnipeg police officers visit the home of Collin Kennedy, a cancer patient who vandalized a parking meter at the Health Sciences Centre to protest the parking fees patients must pay at hospitals.

Kennedy has multiple myeloma, a form of leukemia. He filled a city-operated parking meter with spray foam on May 30 near the CancerCare Manitoba clinic, where he has had all his treatments.

He said he did it because he is fed up with the City of Winnipeg and Impark charging sick people to park near CancerCare and other treatment facilities around the Health Sciences Centre.

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On Thursday, Kennedy told police he won't fill any more parking meters with spray foam until he meets with Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman to find out what, if anything, will be done about the meters.

However, he also said he won't pay for parking on future visits to the hospital.

A CBC News video of Kennedy's spray-foam feat has been shared thousands of times on social media, with at least one Facebook meme calling him a "Canadian hero."

Earlier on Thursday, local businessman Michael John offered to pay Kennedy's parking fees and help Kennedy pay his son's education costs.

John said he understands Kennedy's frustration, as he had to use the same parking meters when his mother was ill. He also expressed concern that police may charge Kennedy for vandalizing the machines.

Kennedy, who estimates he's had to pay $600 to park outside the CancerCare treatment centre since July 2015, said he is grateful for the public support.

Cancer patient fills parking meter outside hospital with spray foam

9 years ago

Duration 0:36

Collin Kennedy used spray foam to disable a parking meter near the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg where he gets his treatment. He says the fees have increased and are a tax on the sick.