NDP resurrects Burnaby Hospital project but critics say it falls short of promise

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“I’m glad they are finishing Phase 1, but you know, Phase 2, that was the real deal. Burnaby needs the beds and the cancer centre,” said Yang.

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Phase 1 of the project, which opened earlier this year, included a new, six-storey, health care pavilion with 83 beds, including new maternity, neonatal intensive care, mental-health and medical units. It also expanded capacity for the support facilities building, including new ER department areas and six operating rooms, the government said.

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However, Kristy James, CEO of the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, said it’s nowhere near enough to meet the demands of Burnaby’s population. She said Monday’s announcement really just confirmed Phase 1 would be complete but there are still so many unanswered questions about what happens next.

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“We’re trying to figure out ways to get some of the services that we were going to get Phase 2 in the hospital now, so that at least we have these services, but really, Burnaby is desperate for the beds.”

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There is still no timeline and no confirmed construction dates despite the government announcing this renewed plan, she said.

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The B.C. Hospital Employees’ Union welcomed the government’s announcement but said it must recommit to building long-term care projects that were cancelled. Lynn Bueckert, HEU’s secretary-business manager, said government needs to show that long-term care is part of the same health-care infrastructure plan.

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“You cannot solve hospital overcrowding while leaving seniors waiting for the care spaces they need,” she said in a statement.

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When Phase 2 was cancelled, Ma said the government had to make some tough choices after budget constraints led to a projected record deficit of $13.3 billion. She said seven long-term care homes — in Delta, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Kelowna, Fort St. John and Squamish — and the second phase of the redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital were projected to cost significantly more than budgeted.

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At the time, Hurley was outspoken about his disappointment over the backtracking on Phase 2. He didn’t respond to requests for an interview this week but told Postmedia in April that he felt abandoned by the province. Dozens of residents also protested the government’s cancellation of the construction contract.

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Hurley did post a response on Instagram this week saying it’s important that Burnaby residents understand that the $210 million announced is for Phase 1 to be completed and that it shouldn’t be confused with the funding that’s “desperately needed” for Phase 2, which was supposed to be the growth phase.

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He welcomed the government signalling that the project is back on track but wants a firm commitment on the $1.8 billion that was promised.

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The HEU says the province should match its plans for Burnaby Hospital with a commitment to move ahead with other projects that were cancelled and wants a firm commitment for a construction timetable for the deferred and cancelled long-term care projects by the next provincial budget.

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A report this week from Centre for Future Work, a Vancouver-based labour economics think-tank, says that, due to B.C.’s aging population, the province has stated it needs to add 16,000 long-term care beds over the next decade. But that requires about 1,600 beds per year. Over the past six years, the report says the province has added just 1,437 spaces or about 240 places per year. That means construction would need to increase more than fivefold in order to meet the projected need.

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The number of B.C. residents over age 75 is expected to reach close to a million by 2050, while the provincial population is expected to grow by 17 per cent over the next 25 years, according to the report.

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With files from Alec Lazenby

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