COURTENAY, B.C. — The Conservative Party of BC is committing $60 million in provincial funding toward a cardiac catheterization laboratory at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
The commitment would advance a long-awaited project intended to provide more timely, potentially life-saving cardiac treatment for more than 450,000 residents of Central and Northern Vancouver Island.
Currently, patients requiring specialized interventional cardiac procedures must often be transferred to Victoria or the Lower Mainland, creating additional delays and placing considerable strain on patients, families and emergency medical services.
“For someone experiencing a serious heart attack, minutes matter,” said Brennan Day, Conservative candidate for Courtenay-Comox and former Opposition Critic for Rural and Seniors Health. “We have hundreds of thousands of people living north of the Malahat, and we are still transporting patients hours away to access treatments that should be available much closer to home. That is a serious gap in our health-care system, and it needs to be addressed.”
“These are serious times, and British Columbians are counting on strong leadership to deliver the health care they need, close to home,” said Conservative Party of BC Leader Lorne Doerkson. “This lab will save lives on the Central and North Island. A Conservative government will authorize the funding and work with Island Health and local partners to get it built as quickly as possible.”
In December 2025, the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District unanimously committed up to $50 million in upfront financing to advance the catheterization lab. Despite that local commitment, provincial approval remains at the concept-planning stage, with construction funding yet to be authorized.
“The local hospital district has demonstrated that it is prepared to invest in this project. Medical professionals have made the case. Community advocates have worked tirelessly to move it forward,” Day said. “The NDP promised this facility in 2024, but two years later we are still talking about planning rather than a funded construction project.”
A cardiac catheterization laboratory would enable specialists to diagnose and treat blocked coronary arteries using minimally invasive procedures, including angioplasty and stent placement. These services can be critical in treating serious heart attacks, where rapid intervention can reduce permanent damage to the heart and improve survival.
“This is not just about Nanaimo,” Day added. “It is about families in Parksville, Qualicum Beach, the Comox Valley, Campbell River, Port Alberni and communities right up the North Island. People shouldn’t have to live near Victoria or Vancouver to have timely access to critical cardiac care.”
Day also acknowledged the work of the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District, the Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation, the Fair Care Alliance, local physicians and community advocates who have pushed for expanded cardiac services.
“People across this region have done their part. Our commitment is to provide the provincial funding and decisions needed to move this project forward. We cannot afford to keep delaying critical health infrastructure while our population continues to grow and age.”
– 30 –
Media Contact:
Alex Shiff, Director of Media Relations
media@conservativebc.ca
