Summary

• New centre will have more space, better accessibility and privacy, and quicker access to team-based care
• To better support people, the centre will be in a convenient central location on the St. John Hospital campus in Vanderhoof
• The project is expected to be complete in spring 2028

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Construction has begun on a new integrated primary and community care centre in Vanderhoof, next to St. John Hospital.

“This project is a major step in renewing the health-care infrastructure that northern communities rely on,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “By building a modern primary care centre right on the local hospital campus, we’re creating a facility that will support people in Vanderhoof and other rural communities and provide access to the kind of care that improves lives and keeps people healthy.”

This new, modern facility will help bring more community health services under one roof, ensuring patients have convenient access to the services they need. The new facility will replace the current Omineca Medical Clinic in Vanderhoof, and will provide significant improvements for care providers and patients, with:

• increased space and a better layout
• better accessibility and patient privacy
• a central location on the hospital campus, where primary health-care services can be provided
• quicker and improved access to team-based care

The total anticipated cost of the project is $35.8 million. This project is being jointly funded by the Province through Northern Health and the Stuart-Nechako Regional Hospital District. The district is providing $7.2 million, while the Province is funding the remaining $28.6 million.

Improving access to care in the North

The new centre is expected to serve approximately 9,000 people once operational in 2028, and it will have capacity to support as many as 11,000 to address the community’s projected needs and growth.

"In the North, health care isn’t just a service, it’s about partnerships and building for the future of the community," said Colleen Nyce, board chair, Northern Health. “I’m incredibly proud of what this project represents: a commitment to improving access to primary care for residents in the Omineca region and to the people who make Vanderhoof a strong and resilient community.”

Construction started in May 2026 and is expected to be complete in spring 2028.

“The district board is pleased to see this important infrastructure investment coming to Vanderhoof,” said Judy Greenaway, chair, Stuart-Nechako Regional Hospital District board. “Primary care services are the foundation of healthy communities, and this new facility next to the St. John Hospital in Vanderhoof will be a key component of health-care delivery in the region.”

By co-locating physicians and nurse practitioners from different work teams and facilities, this new facility will ensure more people in Vanderhoof and northern and rural communities can access the care they need, when they need it.

“The integrated medical facility is a project that has been developed over a number of years with the purpose of providing exceptional and efficient care to our diverse and rich community in a modern facility where allied health professionals can all come together under one roof, for years to come,” said Dr. Davy, physician lead for the project.

Investing in the future of health care

Since 2017, the Province has provided $14 billion to upgrade and build 30 new health-care facilities, including hospitals, as well as 37 long-term care facilities and four cancer centres to support people in British Columbia. This new facility in Vanderhoof is part of the Province’s broader commitment to strengthen the health-care system and ensure people in Northern British Columbia and beyond have access to the care they need.

Learn More:

• For more information about health capital projects in B.C., visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/capital-projects