South of the Fraser Health Care Rally – March 29, 2026

Lisa Hoglund, CEO, Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation Speech

Good morning, and thank you for being here today.

I want to begin by acknowledging the seniors, families, caregivers, staff, donors, and community partners who are listening closely right now. This is not an easy moment for our organization or for our community — and I want to speak today with clarity, transparency, and compassion.

We are here because health care south of the Fraser is under real strain — and because our seniors and families deserve better.

I want to speak specifically now about long-term care, and about Delta.

The new Beedie Long-term Care Centre was the first long-term care project announced in British Columbia after COVID. That announcement mattered. It was a clear recognition that communities like Delta could no longer wait — that the need for long-term care beds is urgent, growing, and unavoidable.

This new 200 bed long-term care home adds 108 new beds and replaces the 92 beds at Mountain View Manor — a facility built for a very different era of care, one that no longer meets modern standards for infection control, privacy, or complex medical needs.

Since then, our partners at Fraser Health have worked diligently and in good faith with us through an incredibly challenging post-pandemic environment. We are aligned in our commitment to delivering long-term care for this community.

Construction costs have risen dramatically across the country, and together, significant work has already been done to manage costs responsibly. That work continues, with a shared focus on efficiency — without compromising care, safety, or dignity.

Another huge factor in this is the Delta community. Through extraordinary generosity, nearly $20 million has been raised in charitable support from Delta citizens and supporters for this long-term care home. That level of community commitment is both remarkable and rare. It represents trust, belief, and a shared understanding that our seniors deserve access to quality, dignified care—close to home.

As of December 31, 2025, $15 million of Ministry dollars had already been spent on this project. A construction manager is in place. Preload material has been arriving daily. Early work is well underway.

And yet, despite all this, the project has been paused.

Delta’s seniors deserve better.

And the need has only become more urgent.

Fraser Health — the largest health authority in the province — has thousands of people waiting, for long term care beds often for many months.

When long-term care beds are not available, the impacts are immediate and far reaching.

Seniors remain in hospital beds longer than they should.
Emergency rooms and acute care units become overcrowded.
Home care services are pushed beyond capacity.
And families and loved ones are stretched to exhaustion.

The reality is this: Delta needs additional capacity now. More than replacement alone. More than pause and delay.

We recognize the immense fiscal pressure facing the Province. We understand that long-term care projects were announced with hope and urgency — but without a fully realistic path for post pandemic delivery.

Quite simply, the system overpromised — and communities like Delta are now living with the consequences.

However, delaying long-term care does not save money. It shifts costs — to hospitals, to home care visits, and to families who are already doing far too much.

This pause is disruptive — especially for seniors who need care now, not later. Families are under strain. Caregivers are stretched. And uncertainty weighs heavily on those who deserve stability and dignity.

But I want to reassure this community of something essential:

This pause does not erase the progress that has been made.
It does not diminish donor commitment.
Together, we will continue to advocate — respectfully, persistently, and collaboratively — for the resumption of this project.

This pause also highlights a broader and longstanding issue—the inequitable funding of community hospitals in the South Fraser region.

South Fraser is the fastest growing region in the province, yet investment in health infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth. Community hospitals like Delta, Langley and Peace Arch play a critical role in caring for seniors, supporting acute care, and relieving pressure on larger regional facilities. When funding does not reflect growth, need, and demographic reality, the entire system feels the strain.

Our region requires more equitable and sustained funding—not only for long-term care, but for community hospitals that serve as the backbone of local healthcare. The demand is increasing. The complexity of care is increasing. And the expectations of our residents—rightfully—are increasing as well.

Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation will continue to speak up for fair and equitable investment in South of the Fraser community hospitals. And we will continue to center the voices of seniors and families in every conversation.

To our donors: your support matters now more than ever.
To our hospital staff and care teams: we see your dedication every day.
And to our seniors: we see you, we hear you, and we remain fully committed to you. we will keep pushing for the care our region needs and deserves. Thank you.