Paramount film production shot inside Peace Arch Hospital sparks outrage

There’s outrage in White Rock after Paramount was seen shooting a film inside Peace Arch Hospital earlier this week.

Fraser Health says the filming took place over two days in a non-active unit that was “very small” and being prepared for renovations.

But Surrey White Rock MLA Trevor Halford says given the ongoing crisis in B.C. health care, filming in a hospital isn’t acceptable.

Fraser Health says no hospital operations were impacted, adding that revenues from the filming will go toward supporting patient care at the hospital.

Halford calls that statement a “great media line” and says he wants Fraser Health to be more transparent about why the filming was approved.   

“I think there’s a lack of credibility and transparency in what they’re saying right now,” Halford said.

“You’ve got an intensive care unit that’s in dire condition. You’ve got a maternity ward that they’ve continued to shut down and faces diversions every week. Not only that: you’ve got a situation where there’s a mental health unit in there that was funded by the community that they can’t even staff properly to be fully operational 24/7.”

Halford says he supports the film industry but doesn’t want to see hospitals being used for film productions while the province’s healthcare system is in crisis.

“We definitely want their work. Film is a great part of our economy,” Halford said. “At the end of the day, we want to encourage that. But that can’t be done at the expense of patients and frontline workers. And the film industry would be the first ones to accept that. We need the government to actually show some leadership.”

He’s calling on Health Minister Adrian Dix to address what happened.

CityNews has reached out to the Ministry of Health for comment but has not yet heard back.