Opening date for new hospital in Surrey pushed back 3 years to 2030

B.C. Premier David Eby and Health Minister Adrian Dix announced with aplomb on Tuesday the ground-breaking fora new hospital in Surrey but the facility, which includes a cancer care centre, will open its doors three years later than originally planned and cost an additional billion dollars.

A new hospital for Surrey to complement the beleaguered Surrey Memorial Hospitalwas announced in2019 by the then John HorganNDP government to help meet the demand for health care in Surrey, which is the fastest-growing community in B.C. and set to eclipse Vancouver in population by 2041.

"We are breaking ground on a beautiful new hospital for Surrey and the Fraser Health region,' said Eby at thenews conference, which was held at the facility's new sitebeside the Kwantlen Polytechnic University campus at 5500 180 St.

"It's so exciting."

Eby was introduced by Dix, who also highlighted the participation of fellow MLAs for the area, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, Fraser Health officials and several representatives from local First Nations, the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt and Tsawwassen.

Speakers at the news conference struck a celebratory tone in highlighting the work and partnerships that will bring 168 more hospital beds, including medical/surgical beds, high acuity beds and medical oncology beds, and a second emergency department for the community with 55 treatment spaces and access to specialists through virtual technologies.

"With this new hospital, we're building a model of the future," said Dix.

WATCH | MLA Mike Starchuk says increased cancer care in Surrey is welcome:

Surrey-Cloverdale MLA shares personal story over need for new hospital, cancer care in Surrey, B.C.

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Former firefighter Mike Starchuk says he is the only surviving member of his original firehall crew and will most likely one day need the services of a new cancer care centre in Surrey.

As early as last summer, the province had promised the new hospital to open to patients by 2027 at a capital cost of $1.72 billion.

On Tuesday, Dix and Eby explained that inflation, supply-chain disruptions and labour shortages had all contributed todelays in getting construction underway and a new price tag of $2.88 billion.

The new timeline for construction, which will be done by Ellis-Don Design Build Inc., is set for completion in 2029, with the hospital opening in 2030.

'Disappointing'

On X, formerly known as Twitter, B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon called Tuesday's news from the NDP government a re-announcement, with the delays and a ballooning budget"disappointing."

"Eby and the NDP continue to fail residents of Surrey," he wrote.

Brenda Locke did not speak as part of the news conference on Tuesday despite being present. On Wednesday the Surrey mayortold CBC Newsthat she's not surprised costs for the project had increased, but wanted the province to review how it got to be more than $1.1 billion more expensive.

Locke said she is also concerned how Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH),the largest of three regional hospitals in Fraser Health, will handle demand until 2030 when the new hospital opens.

"The pressure points on Surrey Memorial Hospital are incredible," she said.

Locke along with the Surrey Board of Trade also reiterated concerns made in a February report,saying while the new hospital will be state of the art, it should be bolsteredto treat victims ofheart attack, stroke, and trauma, in addition to specialty pediatric services.

"We have to go to Vancouver, to New Westminster, across a bridge here in Surrey and here in the South Fraser region to be treated for pediatric services for our children, for heart attacks, for trauma," said board president and CEO Anita Huberman. "Simplyunacceptable."

Huberman said a health and technology committee with board was exploring how private health care, even a private health care hospital, could be added in Surrey to alleviate demand.

"There is space for private health care in our economy to allow that choice;we need it," she said.

Earlier this summer Dix announced a number of improvements at SMH with an immediate focus on a new contract for hospitalists, along with hiring more staff for the emergency department, maternity ward and mental health services.

Dix also promised enhanced cardiac diagnostic services and renal care and dialysis at SMH within 18 months. Urgent primary care centres in Surrey would also be expanding their hours, he said.

On Tuesday he acknowledged the long timeline to deliver a new hospital for the region.

"Some will say we should have built this hospital 15 years ago, 20 years ago, and they are right," said Dix, who added that it was promised during the 2005 provincial election campaign won by the then B.C. Liberals.

"We're delivering it, and we're going to do it together," said Dix on Tuesday.

WATCH | First Nations call for celebrations over Surrey hospital ground-breaking:

First Nation leaders at news conference on new B.C. hospital call for positivity despite delays

12 months ago

Duration 0:32

As B.C. premier, health ministers took media questions, Kwantlen First Nation Chief Marilyn Gabriel interjected to ask for people to look on the bright side and celebrate the announcement of the new facility.

As reporters were having Eby and Dix explain why the project had become more expensive with a longer completion date after the news conference was opened to questions, local First Nation leaders jumped in to say that details over the new hospital and its ground-breaking were a reason to be hopeful.

"When Creator comes to stand with us to make sure things are seen through, the Creator likes things to slow down. So we acknowledge the patience and hard work and the dedication for this to come to fruition," said Chief Grace George with Katzie First Nation.

"It is time to celebrate."