There’s “absolutely no significance” a new Burnaby Hospital was not included in last week’s provincial budget, according to Health Minister Adrian Dix.
Burnaby Coun. Sav Dhaliwal and Richard Lee, former B.C. Liberal MLA for Burnaby North, expressed concern last week that the replacement wasn’t included. That was particularly worrisome, they said, because days before the provincial election in May 2017 Premier John Horgan committed an NDP government to building one.
But plans aren’t far enough along to be in the budget’s list of capital projects, said Dix. He told the NOW, hospital capital projects have never been announced in budgets until all the details and dollars have been determined, approved and sent out to tender.
Dix said that a week before the budget he announced approvals for new hospitals in Williams Lake and Terrace, but neither were included in the budget because the planning wasn’t far enough along. Similar questions to those raised by Dhaliwal and Lee were being asked of him in those places as well as Richmond, Vancouver (St. Paul’s) and Dawson Creek, and he had the same answer for them.
“We’re obviously working hard on business planning there and working hard on the project. John Horgan made real commitments to people in Burnaby during the election campaign and we’re working to implement those in the best possible way. We are making progress and we will let people know,” said Dix. “There’s no waiting until next year. We’re working full steam ahead on health care in Burnaby.”
To show the process is proceeding, Dix pointed out Fraser Health posted a tender in December for someone to manage the business plan process.
He does understand why a community might get nervous about it not being included in the budget. “It’s fair to say the capital planning process isn’t well understood, Until something is formally approved with specific numbers around it, it doesn’t go in the budget,” said Dix. “There’s a lot of work that goes into that.
“In Burnaby, people have been waiting a long time. They’ve been waiting too long. Everybody knows it. It’s a particular priority of mine, and one we’ll be fully engaged with the people of Burnaby on … We remain as committed to Burnaby as we ever have.”
Burnaby Hospital was built in 1952 with upgrades in 1973 and 1977.
“Obviously it’s time (for a new hospital),” said Dix, who is the MLA for Vancouver Kingsway and a resident of Joyce-Collingwood. “I visit Burnaby Hospital more than any hospital in the province because my constituents are there more frequently. I’m in Burnaby Hospital a lot, and I know it very well.”
