Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
This article is part of a series by Canada’s National Observer that will take a look at Vancouver Island’s “ridings to watch” in the upcoming election.
The North Island may well be a long held NDP stronghold but the recent spike in support for the BC Conservatives suggests a tight two-way race is in the making in the upcoming provincial election.
Continue reading North Island offers a case study for upcoming BC election
Nic Dedeluk, a marine biologist with over 24 years of experience, is the BC Green Party candidate for North Island.
This brings the number of candidates in our riding to three. Michele Babchuk, our incumbent MLA, is once again running for the NDP and Anna Kindy is running for the Conservative party of BC.
Continue reading Nic Dedeluk: Green Party Candidate For North IslandAn alarming trend to watch.
Editor’s note: During a protest over closures at North Island ERs, Adriane Gear VP of the BC Nurses Union told CHEK NEWS, “Our nurses are very worried. The Campbell River Hospital, I understand at any given time could be at 140%, 145% capacity, and at the same time there’s maybe only 60% to 70% of the nurses that would be normally scheduled to work.”
By Michelle Gamage, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The province’s emergency rooms are in crisis.
ERs across the Lower Mainland have made the news for being at capacity and past their breaking points. This overcrowding led to the death of an infant in 2020 and a senior in 2022.
Doctors have even been urging people to stay away and seek help elsewhere. In the Lower Mainland one in 10 patients are leaving ERs without seeing a doctor, according to reporting by CTV.
Continue reading BC’s Rural Emergency Room Crisis
National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix announced a $30-million infusion to tackle the health-care crisis in North Island communities.
The money, a mix of one-time capital investments and operating funding, will drive a range of measures to immediately stabilize health-care services across the region and in the communities of Port Hardy, Port McNeill and Alert Bay, Dix said Friday.
Continue reading B.C. health minister announces $30 million to address health-care crisis in North IslandNational Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Port Hardy Hospital’s emergency room is headed for life support, says the only ER doctor expected to be available as of July 1.
Of the four local doctors on the roster at the largest hospital in northern Vancouver Island, one tendered a resignation in March and two others recently announced their departure at the end of June, said Dr. Alex Nataros.
Continue reading ‘I’ve only got one set of hands’: Last remaining ER doctor in Port Hardy wants to hire physician assistant out of his own pocket
