By Cheryl Jahn

Liberals include Vanderhoof in election platform

Oct 13, 2020 | 3:30 PM

VANDERHOOF – Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson laid out the party’s election platform today and it includes $8 billion in infrastructure funding.

The candidate for Nechako Lakes says a portion of the funding will be coming to his riding.

John Rustad says a portion of the Rebuild BC plan sets out a commitment to rebuild the St. John Hospital in Vanderhoof as well as the Omineca Health Centre across the street from the hospital.

“Burns Lake, Fort St James and Vanderhoof hospitals were all built around the same time. All three needed to be rebuilt which is why I’m very pleased to announce that the BC Liberals will rebuild the St. John Hospital in Vanderhoof,” said John Rustad, BC Liberal candidate for Nechako-Lakes. “In addition, we will work with the doctors and Northern Health to replace the aging Omineca Health Clinic.”

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He says the Liberals will also commit to replacing the Stuart Lake Hospital in Fort St. James. It was promised by the NDP earlier this year, but Rustad says he’s concerned about that project.

“When you do major capital projects, it’s important that you see them show up in the budget. When it’s not actually a bottom line on the provincial budget, that means government has the flexibility to move things around and maybe delay a project or move it out, or maybe even not build it. And I’m very concerned about the Fort St. James hospital because it doesn’t have a budget line.”

When then-Premier John Horgan announced the project, he set a completion date of 2024.