Surrey Board of Trade calls for a new trauma centre in the city
Posted September 13, 2023 11:09 pm.
After the province announced Surrey would be getting a new hospital and cancer centre, the Surrey Board of Trade says another facility is needed — a trauma centre.
President and CEO Anita Huberman says Surrey is the second largest city in the province and the fastest growing, and its residents deserve lifesaving care within the city boundaries.
She says city residents and healthcare workers have long been asking for a centre where they can provide important care for things like heart attacks and strokes, adding that a new trauma centre could fit at the existing Surrey Memorial Hospital.
“We do not have the services that we need to treat heart attacks, trauma, pediatric services, more maternity beds and strokes. We have to travel across a bridge in order to treat those conditions,” she said.
“It’s our citizens that are suffering here and we really need the B.C. government to listen to that emotional message.”
Huberman says she isn’t impressed with politicians battling back and forth on the matter either, as the BC NDP and BC United, formerly BC Liberals, have sounded off on who is to blame for a lack of resources in the city.
“Access to health care means that we can have a healthy and vibrant and livable community that shouldn’t be a political football between political parties,” she said.
Surrey’s recently announced second hospital is expected to complete construction by 2029. The $2.88 billion project is “designed to meet the future” as well — being one of the first “fully electric” hospitals in Canada.
“There are a number of reasons for the extended timeline,” B.C. Premier David Eby said in regard to the construction timeline.
“As we move along with the planning process, and develop the site and work with the contractors, their needs of being able to deliver on time, labour availability, the challenges that many projects are facing right now, have pushed us to 2029. The critical piece for us is to get this hospital open as soon as possible.”
With files from Hana Mae Nassar
