ADVOCACY EFFORTS FOR A CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION LAB AND PATIENT TOWER TO BE BUILT IN NANAIMO, BC

The Nanaimo Heart Sisters support the Fair Care Alliance, a coalition of concerned medical, healthcare, business and community professionals and citizens who are leading the advocacy efforts to ensure fair access to health care for the 460,000 people living north of Victoria, in Central and North Vancouver Island.

Specifically, the Alliance is advocating for a cardiac catheterization lab and patient tower to be built at an expanded Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.

To sign the Fair Care Alliance petition to support the building of a cardiac cath lab and patient tower in Nanaimo visit the Alliance’s petition page.

UPDATES FROM THE FAIR CARE ALLIANCE - received via email

September 8, 2025

Promises without Progress: MLAs Address Nanaimo Hospital Tower & Cath Lab

Where are the answers?

At the recent opening of Nanaimo’s new High Acuity Unit, local MLAs were pressed about Premier David Eby’s promises last autumn: a new patient tower and identifying the need for a Cardiac Catheterization Lab. Their answers were familiar—highlighting projects already underway, while leaving the tower and cath lab uncertain.

To read the related media story, check it out here.

What they said, and what it really means

MLA Sheila Malcolmson responded to questions about the new hospital towers status by emphasizing the government’s overall spending since 2017—“almost nine times the amount” of the previous government—and highlighted the new high acuity unit, the completed intensive care unit, and the under-construction cancer centre.

These are important wins, but note, these are commitments being fulfilled from past government’s promises, not what was promised and why people voted how they did in this past election. They do not answer questions about the promised patient tower, and why it was campaigned on and then once elected, completely left out of the budget or future forecasting.

Malcolmson said work is happening “behind the scenes” and promised, “As soon as we’ve got news about the steps that are in place, you’re going to hear it.” While it may sound reassuring, vague promises without details or timelines are strategic ambiguity. Why haven’t they talked about it sooner? Back on October 16, David Eby said planning would begin immediately.

The questions the community still needs answered

When will the patient tower and cardiac cath lab move forward? What are the timelines, the budget allocations, and has the province even accepted the business plans prepared? Words alone are not enough.

We are calling for clear answers, concrete timelines, and real accountability. We encourage the community to ask these questions directly—contact your MLA, write to the Health and Infrastructure ministers, and demand that promises be more than words. Nanaimo and Central Island deserve transparency and action—no more delays, no more deflections.

June 4, 2025

Petition submission update

While the BC Legislature is on its summer break, the Fair Care Alliance says it will use that time to finalize their petition and confirm who will present the petition to lawmakers in the House. Until then, petition signatures are still being accepted and encouraged.

To sign the petition, go to the Alliance’s petition page.

The Alliance is asking people to stay tuned for more details on the petition submission when the government is formally back in session.

Cardiology study underway

Thanks to the pressure and advocacy from the Fair Care Alliance movement, Island Health and the BC Government initiated a study to evaluate the need for a cardiac catheterization lab in the Central-North Island.

The study is being conducted by KPMG and is expected to be released within the coming month. The Alliance anticipates that the study will recommend establishing a cath lab in the Nanaimo region. The key question will be the timing of its development.

The Alliance is urging everyone to stay tuned to see what the study reveals and how everyone can work together to ensure a cath lab is brought to the region as soon as possible.

The Nanaimo Heart Sisters attended a standing-room only rally in support of the Fair Care Alliance initiative at Beban Park Auditorium on September 12, 2024.