B.C. Premier David Eby and MLA for Boundary-Similkameen Roly Russell joined local officials and community leaders for a town hall discussion on Friday.
The event, in Osoyoos, B.C., tackled issues and what rural communities need from the provincial government.
“People in smaller communities in B.C. deserve services designed for them, whether it’s being able to find child care and a good school for their kids, accessing top-notch health and mental-health care, or benefiting from skills-training opportunities or any other public service,” said Eby in a press release.
“That’s why we are strengthening services for everyone, while addressing the unique challenges faced by people in rural communities.”
During the town hall, Eby outlined the province’s vision and plans to support rural communities.
The province’s rural vision Good Lives, Strong Communities focuses goals including connecting every community in the province to high-speed internet, investing in roads, ferries and transit to move goods and people, and expanding remote work in government so people can stay in their communities.
“The Province is focused on making sure people all over the province have opportunities to build a stronger future,” said Russell in a release.
“Rural communities need unique supports to deliver the solutions they need. This vision helps provide the lens to enable that strong foundation for our rural places.”
Eby then opened the floor for questions and top of mind for some was the ongoing hospital closures and health care in the South Okanagan.
“So can decentralize getting learners out into rural communities to gain most of their education in the places we’d like them to work,” asked Dr. Alan Ruddiman during the town hall.
“And it’s interconnected to Transportation and Housing because they can’t afford to come here on a student budget.”
Eby responded by highlighting the recent announcement to change the way doctors are paid at the South Okanagan General Hospital, which has faced several closures since September.
“We’ve got some funding so that doctors and the Oliver hospital will get paid the same regardless of the number of patients who show up on a given night,” said the premier.
“The team at Interior Health is working really hard with the doctors to sign that agreement and to attract the doctors who are ready to work at the Oliver hospital and are willing to and to make sure that they get paid fairly.”
Meanwhile, according to the province, the vision is focused on rural, Interior, coastal and First Nations communities.
“It continues the work underway to build a strong, skilled rural workforce; to grow crops and the economy while mitigating the risks of climate change; revitalizing and renewing resource industries; development of world-class tourism experiences; and ensuring there are clean waters and abundant fisheries,” read the press release.