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Wilkinson says Surrey’s second hospital is one of BC Liberals’ highest priorities’

He says party is committed to building the hospital, which the NDP announced in 2019
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Bc Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson responds to the BC NDP government’s $1.5 billion COVID-19 economic recovery plan in Burnaby, B.C. on Thursday, September 17, 2020. (Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson announced his commitment Thursday (Oct. 8) to building Surrey’s second hospital in Cloverdale, which was announced by the NDP government in December 2019.

Wilkinson was at Surrey’s Healthtech Innovation Hub, with Surrey South candidate Stephanie Cadieux and Surrey-Panorama candidate Gulzar Cheema, for the announcement.

“In the event of a BC Liberal government forming, one of our highest priorities will be building the second hospital in Surrey in Cloverdale,” said Wilkinson.

This comes after BC NDP Leader John Horgan said Sept. 23 that the Liberals “sold the silverware” to balance their budget, selling what was a proposed Panorama hospital site at 5750 Panorama Drive for $3 million below its assessed value, to a former Liberal party donor.

READ ALSO: First big Surrey battle puts spotlight on health care, Sept. 30, 2020

The NDP charges that Wilkinson delayed the construction of a Surrey hospital by selling off a site acquired by an NDP government in the 1990s as a potential location for a new hospital.

Prior to the 2005 provincial election, then-Liberal premier Gordon Campbell staged a presser there, vowing to fast-track a new hospital. But it wasn’t built. In 2014, the NDP said, Wilkinson as citizens’ services minister “abandoned the promise permanently” by selling the land to developer Fairborne Lands at a $3 million discount, selling for $20.5 million despite being appraised at $23.5 million.

It was in December 2019 that Horgan was in Cloverdale to announce the hospital.

READ ALSO: Surrey getting a new hospital, in Cloverdale, Dec. 9, 2019

At the time, Horgan said it would be a “very fast-paced process,” adding the province’s business plan may take 12 months to put together.

“I think we’ll be through the business plan about this time next year in 2020 and then we’ll be going to tender,” Horgan said, adding shovels could break ground by the end of 2021.

The new hospital would have an emergency department, inpatient beds, operating rooms, and laboratory, diagnostic and outpatient services.

READ ALSO: B.C. Liberals offer bridge financing, no more small business tax, Oct. 8, 2020

READ ALSO: Leaders promise action on crime, cancer, COVID-19, Oct. 7, 2020

Voters go to the polls Oct. 24.

For more election coverage, click here.

– With files from Tom Zytaruk, Malin Jordan



lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com

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Lauren Collins

About the Author: Lauren Collins

I'm a provincial reporter for Black Press Media's national team, after my journalism career took me across B.C. since I was 19 years old.
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