The Province has provided over $1 million for improved access to hospice palliative care in Squamish, Powell River and the Sunshine Coast, including the first-ever hospice beds in the Sea to Sky region.  

“Ensuring that everyone has compassionate care as their life’s journey draws to a close is critically important,” said Jordan Sturdy, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky who made the announcement on behalf of Health Minister Terry Lake. “Today's announcement means those in need of palliative care, as well as families in Squamish and the Sea to Sky, Powell River and the Sunshine Coast all have the supports they need.”   

(flickr.com)

• Squamish Hospice Society received $400,000 toward four new hospice beds at Hilltop House. Target completion date is March 2018.
• Powell River Hospice Society received $400,000 toward four new hospice beds.
• Sunshine Coast Hospice Society received $200,000 toward two new hospice beds.

As well, the BC Centre for Palliative Care, in partnership with the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association, allocated $10,550 in seed grants to hospice societies to support patients and families:

• Squamish Hospice Society: $2,550
• Sunshine Coast Hospice Society: $8,000

Examples of seed grant projects may include workshops educating the public about advance care planning; recruiting and training volunteers to link patients with serious illness and families to the available local services; and public awareness campaigns about palliative care supports. 

“These designated hospice beds will benefit Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton, and the smaller communities beyond. We're excited that we will at last be able to provide end of life care, and also symptom management and respite care for palliative patients in a unit specifically designed for this purpose, and that it will  be accessible to residents of the entire Sea to Sky Corridor,” said Dr. Judith Fothergill, Squamish Hospice Society.

The BC Centre for Palliative Care was established in 2013 by the Institute for Health System Transformation and Sustainability to support palliative and end-of-life care practices based on evidence, education and innovation to improve and support care for those living with - and dying from - serious illness, and their families.

Learn More:

To learn more about supports offered by the Province for end-of-life care, visit: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/home-community-care/care-options-and-cost/end-of-life-care

To find out more about hospice palliative care in Vancouver Coastal Health, visit: www.vch.ca/your-health/health-topics/home-hospice-palliative-care/hospice-palliative-care

For more information on the BC Centre for Palliative Care, visit: www.bc-cpc.ca/cpc/