An Open Letter to Premier-Elect Lorne Doerkson
Dear Premier-Elect Doerkson,
On behalf of the BC Rural Health Network, our Board of Directors, member organizations, municipalities, and the rural, remote and Indigenous communities whose voices inform our work, I extend our sincere congratulations to you and your colleagues on your electoral victory and the opportunity to form British Columbia’s next government.
As a non-partisan, community-driven organization, the BC Rural Health Network has always maintained that meaningful healthcare reform requires collaboration across political lines. We work with governments, opposition parties, healthcare professionals, researchers and, most importantly, the people and communities whose lives are directly affected by healthcare policy. Our positions do not change with elections, nor does our commitment to ensuring that every British Columbian has reasonable, timely and equitable access to the care they need, regardless of where they live or their personal circumstances.
You will recall our presentations and discussions with the BC Conservative caucus, where we shared our perspectives on the urgent need to rebuild healthcare systems for rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Those conversations were grounded in evidence, community experience and practical solutions. We appreciated the opportunity to contribute, just as we have valued our ongoing relationships with government and political leaders from across the province.
We believe the time for meaningful change has arrived, and the opportunity before your government is significant.
British Columbia does not simply need more of the same. It needs a healthcare system designed for its future, one that recognizes the diversity of our communities, responds to their unique circumstances, and places people rather than institutions at the centre of healthcare planning and delivery.
For too long, rural and remote communities have experienced the consequences of centralized urban decision-making, fragmented services, workforce shortages and policies that too often reflect urban realities while ignoring rural harms. Rebuilding confidence in our healthcare system requires more than new facilities, recruitment announcements or additional investments in existing structures. It requires a fresh approach to policy development, community engagement, accountability and the delivery of care.
We believe this begins with meaningful partnerships with communities, and a recognition that those most affected by healthcare decisions must have a genuine role in shaping them. Their knowledge, lived experiences and priorities are essential to developing services that are both effective and sustainable.
Importantly, healthcare reform must also be recognized as economic policy.
Accessible, reliable healthcare is fundamental to the economic health of British Columbia. Rural and remote communities support many of the resource industries, small businesses and essential services upon which our provincial economy depends. Yet the absence of dependable healthcare can undermine their ability to attract and retain workers, support families, encourage investment and sustain vibrant communities.
Smart healthcare policy can strengthen local economies, improve productivity, support workforce development and help secure the long-term sustainability of our resource communities and industries. Investments in primary care, healthcare teams, medical transportation, housing, and coordinated local services should be understood not only as expenditures, but as investments in the social and economic foundations of our province.
There is also a compelling opportunity to improve how our healthcare resources are used. Timely access to community-based primary care, prevention, early intervention and coordinated services can reduce avoidable illness, unnecessary emergency visits, costly medical travel and pressures on already stretched acute-care facilities. A system that works closer to home is not only better for patients and families, but has the potential to be more effective and fiscally responsible.
We encourage your government to see the coming years as an opportunity to establish a new foundation for healthcare in British Columbia, one built on community participation, collaborative and team-based models of care, equitable access, and transparent measures of success that reflect actual patient experiences rather than simply the number of services or facilities announced.
The principles of the Canada Health Act, including reasonable access to medically necessary care without financial barriers, must remain central to this work. Geography, income, disability and social circumstances should not determine whether a British Columbian can receive necessary healthcare in a timely and dignified manner.
Our vision is not simply better rural healthcare. It is a stronger, healthier British Columbia, where improving the circumstances of those facing the greatest barriers strengthens the entire provincial healthcare system.
We recognize that the challenges facing your incoming government are substantial and that meaningful reform cannot happen overnight. However, this transition presents an important opportunity to establish a new relationship between communities, healthcare providers and government, one founded on mutual respect, shared responsibility and a willingness to pursue solutions that may differ from traditional approaches.
The BC Rural Health Network stands ready to contribute to that work.
We bring years of community engagement, research partnerships, practical experience and established relationships across political, professional and geographic boundaries. We do not seek partisan outcomes. We seek lasting improvements in the health and wellness of British Columbians, supported by policies that remain relevant and effective regardless of who occupies the government benches.
We also recognize and appreciate the public service of those who have held office and contributed to healthcare policy before this election. Sustainable system improvement requires continuity where progress has been made, combined with the courage to change approaches that are not delivering equitable results.
Premier-Elect Doerkson, we look forward to meeting with you again and establishing a productive relationship with your incoming Minister of Health and government. We welcome the opportunity to share the work already underway through our Network and its partners, and to explore how the experience and knowledge of rural, remote and Indigenous communities can help shape the next generation of healthcare policy in British Columbia.
The opportunity is now to move beyond managing the challenges of yesterday and begin building the healthcare system British Columbia will need tomorrow.
We congratulate you once again and look forward to working together in the interests of all British Columbians.
Sincerely,
Paul Adams
Executive Director
BC Rural Health Network
Community-driven. Evidence-informed. Solutions-focused. Non-partisan.
We are a registered charity listed as the RHC Education Foundation (dba. BC Rural Health Network) CRA# 70083 3130 RR0001
