VANCOUVER, BC — Conservative Party of BC leader Lorne Doerkson has pledged to establish new Urgent and Primary Care Centres (UPCCs) in 11 communities across British Columbia, including North Delta, Surrey, Coquitlam, Greater Victoria and the Comox Valley.
The October 19 announcement also includes proposed centres in Port Hardy, Steveston, Cowichan Valley, Oceanside, Terrace and Kitimat. The party says the centres would improve access to care close to home and ease pressure on overcrowded emergency rooms.
Doerkson criticized the NDP government’s health-care record, citing challenges with access to family doctors, temporary emergency room closures and patients leaving emergency departments without being seen.
According to the press release, 1.2 million British Columbians do not have a doctor, nearly 2,400 temporary emergency room closures were recorded between 2023 and 2025, and 141,961 patients left emergency departments without being seen in 2024-25.
The release also states that nearly 17,000 British Columbians died while on surgical and diagnostic waitlists between 2022 and 2026, citing provincial government data.
Doerkson said a Conservative government would fully fund BC’s health-care system while maintaining public funding and universal accessibility. He argued that the proposed UPCCs would provide families with faster access to medical services and reduce the burden on emergency departments.
The party blamed the NDP government’s approach for worsening health-care challenges and promised what it described as stronger leadership to address the province’s health-care crisis.
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