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Honourable Josie Osborne
Minister of Health
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC V8V 1X4
Subject: Urgent Meeting Request – Delta Hospital Temporary Service Interruption and Healthcare Priorities
Dear Minister Osborne,
Following up on our previous correspondence dated August 8, 2025, and in light of yet another ER service interruption on October 4, 2025, we are writing to request an urgent meeting with you and your team. Given that our community lacks both an Urgent Primary Care Centre (UPCC) and adequate walk-in clinics, these disruptions are particularly concerning and jeopardize the health and safety of our residents.
As a community hospital, Delta often serves as the first point of contact for patients seeking medical attention. Our emergency department is under significant strain as patient volumes have more than doubled post-pandemic. Regional growth—including large-scale housing developments to meet provincial housing mandates, expansion at the Port of Vancouver Deltaport Terminal, and population growth on Tsawwassen First Nation lands—has placed extraordinary pressure on our facility. Delta Hospital also supports critical infrastructure such as BC Ferries Tsawwassen Terminal, Boundary Bay Airport (Canada’s fifth busiest), and the George Massey Tunnel, making its stability essential for the region.
Despite these challenges, the Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation has worked diligently to raise record-breaking funds for capital improvements and priority equipment to support patient care, including:
We have also committed funding to support Fraser Health recruitment and retention initiatives for Delta Hospital ER physicians including providing signing bonuses and funding professional development for all ER Physicians. We are also exploring options to pay for a recruiter and any necessary travel and marketing strategies.
Despite all this support, our capacity to mitigate this crisis is limited—the root issue is systemic and requires provincial leadership and immediate action.
Our requests remain clear and urgent:
Additionally, we urge the Ministry to review the current healthcare funding model. Fraser Health serves approximately 39% of BC’s population – close to two million people – yet receives only 28% of the provincial health budget, while Vancouver Coastal serves 22% but receives 29%. This inequity places Fraser Health, and by extension Delta, at a significant disadvantage despite growing demand and the addition of specialized services in the region.
We respectfully request a prompt response to this correspondence and your commitment to engage in a dialogue with key community stakeholders, including the Foundation, to collaboratively address these pressing challenges. We are committed to working with you to identify and implement effective solutions, but your active participation is essential.
Thank you for your attention to these urgent matters. We look forward to your response and the opportunity to meet at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Lisa Hoglund, CFRE Andrew Jackson
CEO Board Chair
DHCHF DHCHF
cc:
Hon. David Eby, Premier of British Columbia
Hon. Ravi Kahlon, Delta North MLA
Ian Paton, Delta South MLA
Dermot Kelly, President & CEO, FHA
Teresa O’Callaghan, Interim Vice President, Community Hospitals and Health Services, FHA
Cathy Wiebe, Executive Director, Delta Health Services and Delta Hospital
Mayor and Council, City of Delta
DHCHF Board of Directors