'Blame to go around': BC United accepts role in Surrey hospital crisis while pledging investment
A day after the NDP government presented its 30-point plan to address the crisis at Surrey Memorial Hospital, the official Opposition is pledging to build a tower, while acknowledging their role in the situation.
Front-line sources at SMH tell CTV News they’re cautiously optimistic about the expansion of the hospital, but worry the provincial government may not see it as a “first step in the right direction” as they do, with more investment and attention needed in the future.
Members of the BC United party toured the hospital Thursday morning and spoke to reporters about crowded conditions and frustrated staff they observed.
“We can't incrementalize ourselves out of a crisis, we have to treat it like a crisis,” said leader Kevin Falcon, slamming the New Democrats for holding a flurry of meetings only after health-care workers went public with warnings they say were ignored by Fraser Health and the province for months.
“They're in their sixth year of government and only now they're deciding this is a crisis because the doctors have been speaking with one voice?” said Falcon.
BC United is promising another tower to further expand the hospital, acknowledging that when Falcon was finance minister and approved a $500 million expansion it should’ve been an $800 million investment instead.
When CTV News asked if that meant he was accepting some responsibility for the current government’s need to play catch-up to years of underfunding relative to the population growth in Surrey, Falcon said he did.
“I've always said that about Surrey – whatever we think we have to do, we should do more,” he responded. “Let's just assume there's enough blame to go around.”
Health Minister Adrian Dix has repeatedly blamed the then-Liberal party for under-resourcing Surrey, but his government has continued this trend. An analysis by the Surrey Hospitals Foundation concluded that Fraser Health residents see a per capita spend of $2,229 per year in provincial funds, compared to $3,677 per capita for Vancouver Coastal Health residents.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Five areas Canada's foreign interference commissioner says needs more investigation
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue released her interim report examining foreign election interference on Friday. Here are five elements of the issue that Hogue says she needs to further probe before she can make conclusions or recommendations.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
New weight-loss drug Wegovy not a 'magic bullet,' doctor warns
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.