DELTA Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution advocating for the establishment of an Urgent and Primary Care Centre in Delta.

The motion, moved by Mayor George V. Harvie, addresses the recent overnight closures of the Delta Hospital Emergency Department from February 22 to 24, and acknowledges the growing crisis in health care across the region.

“A significant number of Delta residents do not have a family doctor or access to urgent and primary care centres, sending more people to Delta Hospital for minor emergencies and health concerns,” said Harvie. “As our community continues to grow, access to health care will become even more challenging, highlighting the critical need for additional health care infrastructure across our City. Urgent and Primary Care Centres would provide greater choice in care for residents, while also diverting traffic away from our busy hospital, and Delta Council is ready to work with Fraser Health to deliver these much-needed facilities in our community.”

Delta Council’s motion includes writing a letter requesting Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, Jim Sinclair, Board Chair, Fraser Health Authority, and Lynn Stevenson, Interim President and CEO, Fraser Health Authority, to attend a public meeting of council to discuss the recent Emergency Department closures and the critical need for Urgent and Primary Care Centres to service Delta and Tsawwassen First Nation residents—like those that have been provided in neighbouring municipalities.

Currently, Fraser Health Authority operates 10 Urgent and Primary Care Centres throughout the region, including in the communities of Surrey and Langley, with a new facility coming to White Rock. These centres provide an option for residents to seek timely care for non-emergency conditions and chronic health issues, decreasing unnecessary Emergency Room visits and reducing overall health care costs.