Osborne named Health Minister

Premier David Eby‘s drastically altered cabinet has been unveiled, and it includes new Ministers overseeing Health, Finance, Solicitor General and Education.

Mid Island Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne takes over the high profile Health Ministry from Adrian Dix, who assumed Osborne‘s former role as energy and climate solutions Minister.

Eby said both Ministries are critical to the province.

“I’m incredibly excited that Adrian has agreed to take the roll on to help grow our economy and that Josie has been willing to step into the daunting role of Minister of Health and Adrian will be there to support Josie in this role going forward and Josie will be there to support Adrian with the work he does as the Minister of Energy as he works to redouble our efforts there,” he said.

The former Mayor of Tofino and ACRD chair, two-term MLA Osborne says her West Coast background gives her a unique insight into the role.

“I’ll particular be bringing my lens as a rural community resident and former mayor of a rural community so there will be plenty of time in the coming days to be able to address some of these really important priorities and I’m going to be working so hard to do just that,” she said.

The Health Ministry is one of the top portfolios in the provincial government along with Attorney General and Minister of Finance, and has the largest budget of any other ministries.