Wait Times, Staffing, and Access: BC Parties Clash on Healthcare Solutions Ahead of the Election
As healthcare shortages, rapid population growth, and long wait times challenge British Columbia, the province’s competing parties have outlined their proposed solutions.
BC Conservatives: ‘Patients First’ and Increased Private Partnerships
The BC Conservatives, led by John Rustad, are advocating for a “Patients First” healthcare model that would prioritize efficiency through private partnerships. They propose implementing “activity-based funding,” a system widely used in Europe, where hospitals and clinics receive funding based on the number of patients treated. This approach aims to incentivize providers to reduce wait times and increase patient throughput.
The Conservative platform also includes a “Wait Time Guarantee,” allowing patients who face delays for specific procedures to receive treatment in pre-approved clinics outside BC, with costs covered by the province. Rustad’s team has emphasized addressing staffing shortages by reducing administrative burdens on healthcare professionals and expanding the network of non-governmental clinics for publicly funded services. In Surrey, Conservative candidate Elenore Sturko has called for a review of the Cloverdale hospital project to ensure it meets local needs.
While Rustad has proposed reviewing the new Cloverdale hospital project, Sturko expressed concern during an all-Surrey candidates’ debate about whether it would adequately address the city’s growing demands. The Conservatives argue that Surrey’s hospitals require immediate attention due to recurring staff shortages and long waits.
BC NDP: Expanding Capacity and Supporting the Workforce
In contrast, Premier David Eby and the BC NDP are doubling down on public healthcare infrastructure and workforce expansion. Eby recently announced the party’s ambitious plan to add 45,000 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and support staff. The NDP promises to expedite licensing for internationally trained physicians and nurses, providing provisional licenses within six weeks to address immediate staffing needs.
In Surrey, the NDP’s efforts focus on delivering the new regional hospital and cancer center in Cloverdale by 2030, with the goal of easing pressure on the already stretched Surrey Memorial and Peace Arch hospitals. The new facilities are expected to provide capacity for 120,000 ER visits annually. The NDP has also committed to connecting all BC residents with primary care providers by the end of 2025, having already linked over 250,000 residents with family doctors or nurse practitioners in the past year.
NDP candidate Mike Starchuk has highlighted the importance of specialized facilities, such as the Cloverdale cancer center, which he says will house cutting-edge diagnostic equipment. Starchuk believes the center will greatly improve care for residents and reduce travel for those needing specialized treatment.
BC Greens: Preventive Care and Reduced Bureaucracy
Sonia Furstenau and the BC Greens advocate a healthcare model focused on prevention, primary care, and reduced bureaucracy. Their proposal includes establishing 93 community health centres based on the “Dogwood Model,” designed to consolidate services under one roof. These centres would purportedly offer a comprehensive range of care providers—family doctors, nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, and others—to streamline patient care and reduce wait times through centralized referrals.
Furstenau’s team is calling for an overhaul of BC’s health authority structure, consolidating the current seven regional authorities into a single provincial entity, along with the First Nations Health Authority. The Greens argue that this would cut administrative costs and allow more resources to reach patients directly. Their platform also emphasizes support for healthcare workers, proposing initiatives to address burnout, which they view as a major contributor to the province’s healthcare challenges.
The Greens also propose increasing community-based mental health services, particularly for youth, and introducing a new Independent Office of the Mental Health Advocate to oversee and improve mental health care delivery.
