By Cheryl Jahn

Regional Hospital Board approves $318 million for surgical tower

Sep 12, 2024 | 3:47 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Board for the Regional Hospital Board has approved its commitment to the $1.6 Billion surgical tower. That dollar amount is just over $318 million dollars. That’s on top of the $45.3 million committed to date for the business plan and the early works, such as the parking lot on Lethbridge Street.

“At the end of the day, I fully recognize this was a really, really contentious issue, probably the most challenging one that I’ve worked on in my 17 years as an elected official because of the vast amount of money that is being spent,” says Joan Atkinson, Chair of the Regional Hospital Board. “But the same time, we all recognize we need better health services in this part of the province.”

The Regional District’s commitment is $365 million or 21.6 percent of the total cost of the project. And there was plenty of concern voiced over keeping to that dollar figure, regardless of cost overruns.

“We tied that percentage piece to it, so 21.6% [of the total cost] so that we are not going over that $365 million cap. And we tied that percentage piece to it, at 21.6%, so that if for some immaculate, amazing reason they come in under budget, it’s whatever is less the 21.6% or through $365, whichever number is less.”

Another commitment sought by the Hospital Board, confirmed Thursday morning, was that the Regional District would not begin paying into the final bill until 2028-2029 financial years. But Director Kyle Sampson wanted to ensure that the Regional District doesn’t begin paying until the Province spent the first billion dollars.

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“Rather than being the first where they’re standing at the dig site with our check in hand, we’re saying, ‘No, you spend your money first and then you come to us later,” says Sampson. “We want to be some of the last dollars drawn on. The reason is that it gives us a longer time to leave our funds, our deposits and reserves in the bank, creating interest and revenues from those. And our investments can generate revenues.”

Sampson also pursued approaching the surrounding six regional districts to see how they may contribute. But that was considered “vexatious” by more than one director, who countered by saying health care coverage should not be cobbled out district by district, region by region.

“We have residents that are out in Kitimat fishing or hunting or whatever in other regional hospital districts. And I asked them to fund our facility, which some of their residents may use. But shouldn’t we be doing the same for the folks out West? So, yes, I use the word ‘vexatious.’ It really just underlines the need for a provincial-wide health care funding system.”

Also, the timeline of the project has moved from a completion date of 2031 to 2033.