VICTORIA – The Province is launching an assessment of its primary-care system to ensure it is effectively supporting community-based solutions, including in rural areas, and providing everyone in B.C. with timely access to primary care.
“We are working to ensure that everyone has access to primary care when and where they need it,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “With a close connection and deep understanding of the people they serve, community health centres are a critical part of this by providing team-based, high-quality services. Collaboration is key to making progress, and I look forward to finding ways to further strengthen community-based primary care.”
Under the Cooperation and Responsible Government Accord 2025, the B.C. government and BC Green Caucus have committed to:
* assessing all elements of B.C.’s primary care system;
* providing $15 million to assist the creation of new or support for existing community health centres (CHC); and
* establishing targets for the opening of new publicly funded CHCs.
The assessment is underway, led by a working group co-ordinated by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the BC Green Caucus. The working group will engage with key stakeholders to receive input and feedback during the assessment.
“This assessment is a necessary step, and we expect it will lead to real action on the deep challenges in B.C.’s health-care systems,” said Jeremy Valeriote, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, and interim leader, BC Greens.
“Community health centres are crucial for delivering team-based, person-centred care for the full spectrum of needs, but access is a major barrier. Fixing primary-health care is essential to improving health outcomes in this province.”
An initial report will be completed and released publicly in summer 2025. It will set priorities for the use of $15 million to support existing and new CHCs, and also consider options for funding models.
A final report will be completed and released publicly in fall 2025. It intends to address the barriers that exist for health professionals and communities that want to establish CHCs and establish data-driven processes for identifying priority communities for CHC expansion in 2026.
To read the terms of reference for the primary-care assessment, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Terms_Of_Reference.pdf
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Media contact
Ryan Hook
Press Secretary
BC Green Caucus
+1 250-882-6187 | ryan.hook@leg.bc.ca