B.C. to cover medical costs of newcomer hurt in White Rock stabbing

Days after a newcomer to Canada was stabbed while out for an evening near the White Rock Pier, the Ministry of Health says the man won’t have to worry about his medical costs.

Jatinder Singh was out with his wife, Manpreet Kaur, on Sunday when he was stabbed in the back of the neck by a suspect.

The incident left Singh — the sole income earner — unable to work, and the couple worrying about how to make ends meet, since the pair had not yet qualified for MSP coverage.

However, in an update Thursday, the Ministry of Health tells CityNews the province will backdate Singh’s coverage to begin on April 1 so he can access the care he needs without paying out of pocket.

“This individual currently has active provincial health care coverage and can access required MSP insurable medical services,” the ministry said in an email.

Typically, people arriving in B.C. from outside of Canada are required to wait a period of time before they are eligible for MSP coverage. That period is generally “the balance of the month in which residence in British Columbia is established, plus two months before benefits can begin.”

“The date residency is considered to have been established is determined by the Ministry of Health based on a number of factors, including the type of immigration status held,” the province explains on its website.

The B.C. government encourages people to apply for MSP coverage immediately after arriving in the province.

“Non-resident individuals are not denied medical care based on an inability to pay. The Province recognizes the potential hardship the wait period may pose for some individuals, particularly for those with urgent healthcare needs. As a result, the Province has made efforts to reduce or eliminate the wait period for certain categories of individuals while having a well-defined and objective review process where the wait period can be waived for eligible individuals,” the Ministry of Health explained to CityNews.

“When an appeal for a waiver of the wait period is received, consideration is given to several factors.”

‘This really helps’

Kaur’s uncle, Bikram Sandhu, tells CityNews the update takes a big burden off the young couple’s shoulders.

“Big time, big time. They were so worried about it. They had to worry about their daily needs, their groceries, and their rent, and on top of that, the hospital bill,” he said of their concerns prior to learning about the ministry’s decision.

“I know this whole incident has left a deep wound in their lives and nobody wants to start their life in a foreign country the way they did. But yeah, this really helps.”

Sandhu says the family is thankful to the province and Ministry of Health “for this act of kindness.”

Police are still searching for a suspect in this case, which came just days before another stabbing along the White Rock waterfront, which left a man dead.

A fundraiser set up for Singh and Kaur has raised more than $9,000 as of Thursday afternoon.