The Richmond Chamber of Commerce is soliciting support from the local business community to pressure the B.C. government into building the long-awaited, new acute care tower at Richmond Hospital.
The chamber is calling on its members and local employers join them in their campaign to urge the NDP government to include the hospital tower in its 2018 budget, scheduled for February.
A news release issued Wednesday stated that Premier John Horgan and the provincial government should follow through on their election commitment, which stated that “a B.C. NDP government would commit to building the new acute care tower, and we will build it on the fastest possible timeline.”
“Health care affects every one of us,” said chamber chair Rob Akimow.
“Richmond has over 218,000 residents. We employ over 100,000 people. Over 20 million travel through Richmond via YVR every year and the hospital services our neighbours in South Vancouver and South Delta as well.
“Richmond has the fastest growing seniors’ population in the province and we have less than half the beds per capita than the B.C. average.
“It’s clear we can’t afford to fall further behind. The Richmond Hospital staff does an amazing job with what they have to work with, but the fact is the time has come for the necessary improvements to be made to bring our community the service levels that are appropriate.”
The chamber also highlighted the seismic shortcomings of the original tower, which was built in the 1950ss and currently meets only 17 per cent of the seismic code.
In a moderate earthquake of 5.0 to 5.9 on the Richter scale, all eight operating rooms and over half the beds would be at severe risk.
The previous B.C. Liberal government was, for several years, also aware of the urgent need for a new hospital tower, but only got as far as the business plan stage.
Business owners and senior managers who want to join the campaign can go online to RichmondChamber.ca via a portal on the homepage.
