Top Stories of 2025: Groundbreakings at Nanaimo hospital met with capital project frustrations

“I think understandably, Fair Care is hugely disappointed that promises made during the election campaign were not addressed in any form or fashion in the first budget put out by this government,” Donna Hais, chair of the Alliance, said in reaction to the budget. “I think that shows short-sightedness moving forward.”

While the budget did allot $4.2 billion over three years for increased healthcare capacity, plus another $15.5 billion in capital investments, neither Nanaimo project was specifically mentioned.

Advocates point to glaring differences in care levels north and south of the Malahat, a split where population levels are relatively even.

Victoria-area residents have 22 cardiologists to the central and north Island’s two, working in two cath labs in the capital compared to none up Island.

Numerous other specialists including oncologists, internal medicine, psychiatrists, neurologists and gastrointestinal experts were also more readily available south of the Malahat.

Hospital beds were also lopsided, with NRGH’s 354-bed capacity often occupied by well over 400 patients with some staying in hallways, storage rooms or other areas.

(L-R) Mid-Island NDP MLA’s Stephanie Higginson, Sheila Malcolmson and George Anderson at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on Aug. 22 (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

More promises, no action
In August, the three mid-Island MLA’s who all represent the governing NDP, touted investments made to local healthcare while also suggesting the tower and cath lab remain in the government’s plans.

But no firm details have come.

It was representation of more promises without action for local advocates, who in October gathered again in Nanoose Bay for a rally with around 250 people attending.

Dr. David Forrest, an NRGH infection disease and critical care specialist, said people are dying as a direct result of the lack of access to modern healthcare options north of the Malahat.

He told a captivated crowd about a patient he’d had just days previous.

“He got the clot busting drug. It didn’t work, and next thing you know, his blood pressure was falling rapidly. They tried to resuscitate him and he got worse, his heart stopped. We spent 40 minutes trying to resuscitate that patient…he died. He died because he did not have access to a heart catheterization here in Nanaimo.”

Around 250 people attended the event in Nanoose Bay on Thursday night. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

A summit in November, hosted by the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District, not only highlighted patient care challenges, but also economic impacts from sub-standard healthcare.

Hais, speaking in her role as chair of the Nanaimo Port Authority, said large industry and corporations have stopped plans to setup base in Nanaimo because of healthcare accessibility.

“When I told [DP World] that I cannot provide access to a catheterization lab if one of [their] workers has a heart attack, the response was a cooling of the conversation. You don’t have the infrastructure here to bring the investment to the community that Vancouver Island and, quite frankly, Canada is looking for.”

Fed up by a lack of movement, the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District opted to take matters into their own hands.

A unanimous December vote approved spending of up to $50 million to fully fund the cath lab construction at NRGH.

The money would come from funds already set aside for the District’s required 40 per cent contribution to all capital projects, and would see the District effectively loan the funding to the province in order for the project to proceed.

No formal response has been made public by the province.

Located at 3260 Norwell Dr., the Central Nanaimo UPCC opens on Thursday, May 1. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Major healthcare wins
Despite frustration with government, Nanaimo enjoyed some major wins for access to healthcare through the year.

A second urgent and primary care centre (UPCC) opened on Norwell Dr., behind Country Club Centre, in April, doubling capacity in the city and working in partnership with an existing clinic at Port Place Shopping Centre.

Both now operate under a phone-in booking system.

Also opening in late August was a new High Acuity Unit at NRGH, working in concert with a recently completed Intensive Care Unit immediately below.

The 12-bed facility is designed to provide patients an extra level of attention, who may not require the services of intensive care.

A rendering of the east view of the new BC Cancer centre at NRGH from Dufferin Cres. (BC Cancer)

Ground also broke on a pair of transformative projects at the NRGH campus.

After years of government promises and advocacy, construction got underway in the fall on a new Nanaimo Cancer Centre.

The $311 million project, situated along Dufferin Cres., is poised to begin helping those battling with cancer in 2028, and will mean those in the region will no longer have to travel to Victoria or Vancouver for care.

Further along Dufferin Cres., in the northeastern corner of the NRGH property, will be Jesse’s House, which broke ground in early October.

The 16-bed ‘home away from home’ for families with loved ones at NRGH, is funded by the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island and marks their third home on Vancouver Island.

Estimated to cost $10 million, Foundation CEO Veronica Carroll said it keeps families together.

“We anticipate we’re going to have lots of NICU baby families that stay in the house, much like Jeneece Place. Sometimes just families travelling to get closer if they have a bit of a high-risk pregnancy, or they need to be monitored and they need to come in town days, sometimes weeks before the birth.”

It’s expected to be open in the spring of 2027.

Renderings of Jesse’s Place, which is slated to be built on the northeast corner of NRGH. (Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island)

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by NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Top Stories of 2025: Groundbreakings at Nanaimo hospital met with capital project frustrations

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