BC Conservative Leader John Rustad on Monday announced a transformative plan to build a new children’s hospital in Surrey as part of the party’s Patients First model. The new hospital will include a pediatric emergency room (ER), maternity ward, women’s health centre, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and the first Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in the Fraser Health area.
He said the Conservative government’s commitment to Surrey is clear: families in the fastest-growing region of British Columbia will no longer be underserved when it comes to critical healthcare needs. The hospital will be located at 164 Street and Fraser Highway, a short walk from the future Bakerview SkyTrain station, making it easily accessible to Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and even the BC interior.
Why Surrey Needs a Children’s Hospital:
- Pediatric Healthcare Shortage: Nearly 45% of all children in BC live in the Fraser Health Authority area, yet the region lacks a dedicated pediatric hospital. The current healthcare infrastructure is insufficient to meet the growing demand.
- Overburdened ER: Surrey Memorial’s pediatric ER treats approximately 50,000 children annually, but it was originally designed to treat only 20,000 patients. Demand is increasing by 8-10% every year, putting immense strain on the system.
- Critical Care Deficiency: The Fraser Health region currently has no Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), forcing critically ill children to be transferred to BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH) in Vancouver. Each year, 900-1000 children, or approximately 2.5 per day, are transferred from Surrey to BCCH for life-saving care.
- Risk of Delayed Care: The first hour of care is the most critical for a child’s survival, yet these transfers often cause dangerous delays that increase the risk of mortality. Bed capacity at BCCH and traffic across Metro Vancouver further increase the risk of delays.
Addressing the Crisis in Women’s Health:
- Maternity Care Overload: Surrey Memorial delivers more than 6,000 babies annually, but it only has the capacity for 5,000, resulting in over 1,000 mothers being diverted to other hospitals. As Surrey’s population continues to grow toward 1 million residents, this crisis will worsen.
- Newborn Care: Most newborns requiring critical care must be transferred to BCCH due to a shortage of comprehensive Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) capacity in Surrey.
A Hospital Designed for Surrey’s Growing Population:
The new hospital will be designed to serve the needs of the region’s rapidly expanding population. Key features of the hospital include:
- State-of-the-Art Pediatric ER: A fully equipped pediatric emergency room designed to handle the increasing demand for child healthcare services in the region.
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU): The first PICU in the Fraser Health region, eliminating the need for risky and delayed transfers to Vancouver.
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): A dedicated NICU for newborns requiring critical care, ensuring families can stay close to home during difficult times.
- Maternity Ward and Women’s Health Centre: A comprehensive care facility for mothers and newborns, designed to meet the needs of Surrey’s growing population.
Strategic Location for Maximum Accessibility:
The 18-acre site at Fraser Highway and 164 Street is city-owned and located adjacent to the future Bakerview SkyTrain station and Surrey Rec Centre. This central location will provide easy access for residents of Surrey and surrounding communities, reducing the need for families to cross Metro Vancouver for pediatric care.
“Surrey is home to nearly half of the children in British Columbia, yet the NDP has failed to provide the resources this community needs,” said Rustad. “Our new Children’s Hospital will ensure that Surrey families have access to world-class healthcare without having to travel long distances during critical emergencies.”
The hospital will be operated by the Provincial Health Services Authority and will focus on providing timely, high-quality, and accessible care to the growing number of children and mothers in Surrey and surrounding communities.
“We’re committed to building a healthcare system that works for all British Columbians, especially the families who have been underserved for far too long,” Rustad concluded. “This hospital is about saving lives, improving care, and ensuring that the next generation of British Columbians grows up with the healthcare they deserve.”