Cloverdale hospital becomes heated issue for upcoming Surrey South byelection

A proposed hospital in Cloverdale has become a flashpoint ahead of next month’s Surrey South byelection.

On Thursday the BC NDP warned a vote for the BC Liberals would put the facility in jeopardy.

Health Minister Adrian Dix, speaking at an event, said NDP candidate Pauline Greaves was the right candidate to make sure project gets finished.

“What we need in this riding is a candidate who will fight for the hospital [who] will make sure the services are there for people that will ensure that it happens.”

Greaves says Kevin Falcon, the current leader of the BC Liberal party, had a chance to build a second hospital in Surrey, but didn’t get it done.

“As finance minister he declared the land designated for the hospital as surplus and sold the land and now he opposes building the project in Cloverdale,” Greaves said.

However, in a statement, Falcon is said the proposed facility was simply not enough.

“The NDP promised Surrey voters a full-service hospital, but all they’re getting is a glorified urgent care centre with just 168 beds, no ICU, and no maternity ward in Cloverdale. It’s simply not good enough for our province’s fastest-growing city,” Falcon said.

Related link: Surrey South byelection called for Sept. 10

Premier John Horgan announced the byelection for the Surrey South riding Aug. 13, setting the date for Sept. 10.

The seat became vacant when Stephanie Cadieux resigned as MLA in late April.

RCMP officer Elenore Sturko will run for the BC Liberals. She says the NDP have failed to keep their promises.

“From the rising cost of living, to increased violent crime on our streets, to their repeated failure to deliver on much needed mental health services, life is worse off in Surrey under the NDP. The trail of broken promises in my community continues to grow each month under this NDP government and it is time for real change,” said Sturko in a statement.

The BC Green party also announced their candidate for the Surrey South byelection.

Simran Sarai, a political science and environmental management student at Simon Fraser University, will represent the Green party, and she hopes to tackle the issues troubling the Lower Mainland.

“We are out of time to act on issues such as the climate crisis, housing affordability, healthcare and mental health,” said Sarai in a statement. “As a childhood cancer survivor, I know what our healthcare system can do when run well. Our government could be doing so much more to help those that need it most.”

Elections BC says candidate nominations will close at 1 p.m. on Aug. 20 and the deadline to request to a vote-by-mail is Sept. 4, at 8 p.m.