B.C. provincial government denies funding for health centre in Summerland

Last week, council received a response from B.C.'s health minister, who stated the the province is 'unable to financially support" the proposed health centre.

Construction on a new affordable housing complex in Summerland, B.C.,  is expected to begin this summer, but hopes of the ground floor of the newly-built Dickson Place becoming a primary health centre have been squashed after the province denied the district’s funding request.

“We’re super disappointed,” said Erin Trainer, Summerland’s deputy mayor. “This is a shovel-ready project, the doctors are on board, we got the community foundation on board, we have several other people ready to go, we’ve got a place to put it.”

The district has been working with community groups to help facilitate the project.

It’s been asking the province for  several years to kick in $3 million of the $9 million required.

“Another $3 million was coming from the community foundation and the other $3 million was going to be raised through fundraising in our town and region,” Trainer said.

Last week, council received a response from B.C.’s health minister, who stated the the province is “unable to financially support” the proposed health centre.

“They lump us in with Penticton and that makes us feel like a bedroom community and we are not,” Trainer said. “We are our own community and our residents deserve to have their own health care here.”

In the letter to council, health minister Josie Osborne stated the province already provides millions to health care in the South Okanagan and Penticton’s Urgent and Primary Care Centre.