Despite numerous requests and letters from the Municipality of Summerland, the province will not provide financial support for a primary care centre in the community.
In a letter to Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes dated Feb. 25, Josie Osborne, B.C.鈥檚 Minister of Health said the funding for the health centre is not available at present.
鈥淭here may be opportunities following B.C.鈥檚 Budget 2025, to be delivered on March 4, 2025, and I encourage you to continue to advocate for your community, the letter stated.
She said the ministry provided an additional $9.78 million to the South Okanagan Similkameen Primary Care Network from 2024 to 2025, as well as $3.26 million for 15.52 full-time equivalent staff to operate the Penticton Urgent and Primary Care Centre. She noted that this centre is 18 kilometres from Summerland.
Members of the Summerland council were disappointed with the rejection of the health centre.
鈥淲e will not be receiving the funds at this time to move forward with the project as we had envisioned,鈥� said Coun. Adrienne Betts.
However, she said there was also some hopefulness. In addition, the provincial budget included $4.2 billion to improve health care services in B.C.
鈥淧erhaps we have an opportunity, but I feel the time window is short,鈥� she said.
Holmes said the province鈥檚 health funding will go to rural health care. The province does not consider Summerland as a rural community, he added.
Coun. Erin Trainer said Summerland will continue to push for health care in the community whenever possible.
鈥淲e need to continue to advocate on behalf of our residents and to ensure that primary care needs are met here,鈥� she said.
Coun. Marty Van Alphen noted the letter from the minister referred to a distance of 18 kilometres from Penticton 鈥� a phrase he has heard in past discussions with the province.
鈥淚 think that we鈥檙e out of luck at this point,鈥� said Coun. Janet Peake. 鈥淚t isn鈥檛 about the distance; it鈥檚 about the delivery of the services.鈥�
Coun. Doug Patan noted that Summerland had contacted the province four times between September 2024 and February 2025, requesting funding for the facility.
鈥淭his is going to be a very long uphill fight with the province to get primary care in Summerland,鈥� he said.
The primary care facility was to be located on the ground level of a seniors housing facility to be constructed on Dickson Avenue. The housing facility will still be built, but the ground floor will be turned into additional accommodations rather than a health care facility.
