Leader of the BC NDP party David Eby (L) and BC Conservative leader John Rustad were both in Nanaimo on Wednesday for campaign stops, only three days out of election day.  (NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

campaign stops

Eby & Rustad focus on Nanaimo battleground ridings

Oct 16, 2024 | 4:53 PM

NANAIMO — An Island riding projected to be narrowly contested between the province’s two biggest parties hosted their leaders on Wednesday.

BC Conservative leader John Rustad focused on healthcare at an afternoon campaign stop outside Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH).

Rustad promised if elected, his party would bring in a cardiac catheterization lab and patient tower for Nanaimo.

“For too long, patients, whether it is for heart issues, or any other sort of issue, has to travel the Malahat, has to travel down to Victoria to get those service, and I just think that’s not right. It’s tough enough for people in Nanaimo, even south of Nanaimo, let alone people in the north end of the Island. These are services that are desperately needed.”

BC Conservative Leader John Rustad (centre) was joined by fellow Conservative candidates Dale Parker (L) for Nanaimo-Gabriola, and Gwen O’Mahony from Nanaimo-Lantzville. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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He said their proposed patient tower would have a capacity of 600, up from the current level of 340, while also functioning as a diagnostics and treatment centre.

Rustad said our healthcare system is “on the verge of collapsing”, and change is required.

“Healthcare workers are burnt out, our doctors are burnt out, we’re not getting the services where we need them across this province. We do need to look to change, that’s why we want to have a healthcare model that’s focused on patients first, making sure that patients receive the care they are, but making sure that our healthcare system is actually focused on that, rather than the system itself.”

During Rustad’s appearance, several Island Health Protection Services took exception that the campaign event was held on hospital grounds, as government buildings or infrastructure properties are not allowed to be used during election campaigns.

The media event lasted about 20 minutes in total.

Protection Services Officers took exception to an unsanctioned political event on Nanaimo Regional General Hospital grounds. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

When asked by NanaimoNewsNOW about his party’s promise to include the Nanaimo Parkway in their recently announced transportation plan, Rustad didn’t have any details about what improvements would be done.

On Oct. 3 the BC Conservative Party pledged “grade separation” for the most dangerous and congested intersections of the Nanaimo Parkway through Nanaimo.

“But we’re also looking at what else needs to be done to make sure that we can see an efficient transportation system here. Obviously Hwy. 1 coming through to the ferries, the traffic coming through this area, the expansion of population in this area, we need to make sure that our transportation system is keeping up, and I think, quite frankly, Nanaimo and the Island have been ignored for a couple of decades now in terms of that infrastructure.”

Rustad was asked specifically if the grade separation pledge the party made meant interchanges were coming to the Nanaimo Parkway.

“Okay, so I’ll get you the full details on it in terms of that because I can’t speak to it directly right here at the moment, so we’ll make sure we get that to you before before the end of the day in terms of the details of what we’re proposing on it.”

Previous repeated attempts by NanaimoNewsNOW to get clarification from the Conservative Party of BC, or its Nanaimo candidates, on its plans for the Nanaimo Parkway have not been responded to.

Congestion on the Nanaimo Parkway, home to five traffic lights, is the constant source of congestion, particularly impacting northbound flow between the Third St. and Northfield St. exists.

The corridor was the source of a 2021 study done for the province’s Ministry of Transportation by an engineering firm recommended interchanges are immediately required three Nanaimo Parkway Intersections (Third St./Northfield and Mostar exits).

The BC Conservative leader is scheduled to host a rally at the Coast Bastion Hotel in Nanaimo Wednesday evening, featuring all the party candidates for ridings on Vancouver Island, several of which are considered battleground races in which the NDP has traditionally held solid support.

David Eby in Nanaimo
Meanwhile, NDP leader David Eby made a late-morning stop at Loudon Park in the Nanaimo-Lantzville riding on Wednesday, Oct. 16, speaking about his plan for addressing healthcare in the province.

Eby recommitted to building a patient care tower at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital should the NDP form government after Saturday’s election, and said their plans include hiring new healthcare workers in addition to improved infrastructure.

“We’ll be beginning the planning immediately with the doctors and nurses of the hospital, which is called the business plan process, to plan out all of the services, how that will all integrate together and make sure that it works for the people of Nanaimo… I know it’s a priority for the people who live here.”

NDP leader David Eby visits with onlookers at an announcement at Loudon Park in Nanaimo on Wednesday, Oct. 16. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

He said his government’s commitment to building up healthcare for Nanaimo also includes plans for a proper cancer care centre and a cardiac catheterization lab, with separate business plans being worked on for each.

Eby added the BC Conservatives under John Rustad would push B.C. to a two-tier healthcare system, similar to the United States.

The NDP have regularly gone after Rustad and the Conservatives on what they say is a track record of cutting healthcare budgets and resources, which creates longer waits and a poorer standard of care.

“It will not help you and your family get the care you need. When you have a shortage of healthcare workers, taking some of those healthcare workers and putting them behind a paywall, doesn’t help, it just means that some people are able to buy their way to the front of the line while you and your family are stuck with less care.”

Wednesday’s announcement was the second such visit to Nanaimo for the election campaign for Eby.

Eby had other visits and campaign stops planned for Ladysmith, Cowichan and Victoria on Wednesday afternoon.

Polls and electoral demographics from 338 Canada suggest both Nanaimo-Lantzville and Ladysmith-Oceanside as toss-up ridings between the NDP and BC Conservatives.

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