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B.C. faces long-term care shortage, and decision to delay facilities is drawing fire
The government paused seven projects involving 1,223 beds to reduce construction costs by better distributing demand for materials, amid rising long-term care wait times.
- On Thursday, March 19, 2026, the B.C. government delayed seven long-term care projects to reduce construction costs, affecting 1,223 beds across Squamish, Abbotsford, Campbell River, Chilliwack, Delta, Kelowna and Fort St. John.
- Finance Minister Brenda Bailey announced the delays in last month's budget, citing rising construction costs; she noted one project reached $1.8 million per bed, prompting the government to seek cost savings through better timing.
- James Wolfe, who spent 18 months securing a bed for his brother Brian, called the delays 'horrendous,' warning that delays are 'putting people in danger' as wait times for long-term care doubled from 146 days in 2018 to 290 days in 2025.
- Conservative finance critic Peter Milobar called the delays a 'mean-spirited attack' on seniors, while colleague Brennan Day tabled legislation requiring government to publish annual long-term care plans, stating 'You cannot fix what you do not measure.'
- B.C. Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt warned the delays will increase pressure on hospitals and doctors' offices as the senior population is projected to grow 26 per cent over the next decade, with wait-lists having already 'ballooned' per his July 2025 report.
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The Toronto Star+26 Reposted by 26 other sources
B.C. faces long-term care shortage, and decision to delay facilities is drawing fire
VICTORIA - James Wolfe, who lives in B.C.'s Fraser Valley, spent the last year and a half looking for a long-term care bed for his 68-year-old brother Brian, who has
·Toronto, Canada
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B.C. faces long-term care shortage, and decision to delay facilities is drawing fire – Energeticcity.ca
VICTORIA — James Wolfe, who lives in B.C.’s Fraser Valley, spent the last year and a half looking for a long-term care bed for his 68-year-old brother Brian, who has Down syndrome and non-verbal dementia. Mostly, it involved a back-and-forth with local health administrators. “They are great people,” he said. “They are very compassionate doing their job.” But there was simply a lack of appropriate facilities, and Wolfe said his brother was in and…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources29
Leaning Left19Leaning Right0Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution90% Left
Bias Distribution
- 90% of the sources lean Left
90% Left
L 90%
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