BC NDP Leader John Horgan on Wednesday announced that a re-elected BC NDP government will work with BC Cancer and health authorities to launch a 10-year cancer action plan. His plan will add new cancer centres in both Nanaimo and Kamloops, bringing care closer to home for people in the Interior and on Vancouver Island.
“A cancer diagnosis has touched nearly every family, including my own,” said Horgan. “Under our plan, British Columbians will receive better care that’s closer to home as they go through their cancer journey.”
Horgan’s plan will ensure patients get care when they need it, where they need it. It will invest in dedicated teams providing a full continuum of care, and new equipment to deliver leading-edge prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment services. Horgan warned investments like this would be at risk under the BC Liberal plan.
“[BC Liberal Leader] Andrew Wilkinson would hand tax breaks to big businesses and people buying a yacht or a Lexus,” said Horgan. “Those tax giveaways would mean less resources for things we count on the most right now, like better health care.”
The 10-year plan builds off of work Horgan’s government has begun to improve cancer care in BC, including Canada’s first lung cancer early detection screening program and adding regional cancer centres in Surrey and Burnaby.
The NDP said Horgan’s 10 year cancer plan will deliver results in just five years:
- Patients will have one point of contact across their cancer care journey.
- New clinicians will be hired to meet demand.
- Entire families will be offered genomic testing.
- Better patient outcomes from more uptake of innovative prevention & treatment services.
- Improved access to care in rural communities.
- Existing cancer centres will be renovated and upgraded.
