B.C. Premier David Eby is set to provide an update about training in health care at the site of B.C.’s next medical school.
Eby will be joined by Advanced Education Minister Anne Kang and Health Minister Adrian Dix at 1 p.m. on Monday afternoon.
The announcement will be carried live here on the Global BC website.
The province has been under pressure to address of shortage of workers in the health care system. Currently, nearly one million British Columbians are not attached to a family physician.
The BC NDP promised in 2020 to build a second medical school in the province and the goal was to have students starting in 2021.
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The government has not been able to hit the timeline and is expected to detail a new timeline on Monday.
The BC Liberals have been critical of the government’s inability to fulfill the election province.
Originally a government press release quoted Dix saying “the first graduating class could be 2023-24.” That has since been changed online to state “the first class would begin in 2023-24.”
The Liberals point out neither commitment is possible any longer.
SFU and the province have been going back and forth about the issue, and details around the university’s commitment should be available during the press conference.
“Creating a medical school is a complex undertaking. We are currently working with both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training. Upon getting government approval, we could be welcoming our first class of students within three to four years,” a statement on the SFU website reads.
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On Sunday, Eby made his first health-care specific announcement as premier announcing the Practice Ready Assessment program is tripling its seats from 32 to 96 by March 2024.
The program is “a pathway for internationally educated family doctors to be licensed to work in B.C.,” according to the government.
