Surrey, B.C., hospital to get critical care tower with acute, specialized services

Premier David Eby says the B.C. government has plans underway to build a new critical care tower at Surrey Memorial Hospital, adding capacity for surgical, pediatric, perinatal, women's health, mental health and stroke care.

Eby says Surrey's health-care services need to grow along with its population.

The premier says the province is at stage where it will soon start asking for feedback from health professionals who work at the hospital.

The announcement comes after the B.C. government outlined 30 actions to improve access to health care for people in Surrey last June, a list that included reviewing site needs at Surrey Memorial.

Eby says Surrey's second hospital with a cancer care centre is already under construction, and the city will be home to a new medical school in partnership with Simon Fraser University.

The premier also used the announcement in Surrey to take jabs at his political rival, BC United Leader Kevin Falcon, saying that when the Opposition was in power Falcon slowed down health-care improvements in Surrey by selling land initially set aside for a second hospital.