The BC NDP is promising new Urgent and Primary Care Centres in Terrace and Kitimat, saying the facilities would give residents more options for accessing medical care close to home.
The proposed centres would treat non-life-threatening conditions, including infections, minor injuries and cuts requiring stitches, providing another option for patients who may not need emergency department care.
Sarah Zimmerman, the BC NDP candidate for Skeena, said more work is needed to ensure people can access reliable health care in their communities.
“People in Kitimat and Terrace deserve reliable access to health care in their communities,” Zimmerman said. “Protecting and strengthening healthcare is critical right now. We still have more work to do to get everyone the care they deserve. We can’t afford to go backwards now.”
The announcement comes as communities across northern B.C. continue to work to attract and retain health-care professionals. Access to family doctors and consistent physician coverage have been ongoing concerns in the region, putting pressure on residents seeking timely medical attention.
Urgent and Primary Care Centres are designed to bridge the gap between routine primary care and hospital emergency departments. They can provide same-day treatment for urgent health concerns that do not require emergency services.
The NDP stated it has opened 48 such centres across the province since taking office. The party also said one million more people are connected to a family doctor and that 800 doctors, nurses and other health-care workers have been recruited from the United States.
In the Northwest, Ksyen Regional Hospital in Terrace opened in 2024, replacing the former Mills Memorial Hospital with a new facility.
The health-care commitment is also part of the NDP’s broader election campaign, which has included criticism of the BC Conservative Party’s spending and tax proposals.
The NDP claims the Conservatives’ platform includes more than $4.9 billion in annual costs and $500 million in one-time expenses, without a detailed plan to cover them. It argues that the Conservatives’ commitment to aggressively reducing the deficit could lead to cuts to health care.
The party said B.C. Conservative interim leader Lorne Doerkson has indicated health care would take the brunt of those cuts. The Conservatives’ fiscal proposals and the NDP’s cost estimates have not been independently assessed in this announcement.
The NDP has not provided opening dates, proposed locations, staffing plans, or projected patient capacity for the new centres in Terrace and Kitimat.
