Burnaby Board of Trade Calls for Phase 2 of Burnaby Hospital Redevelopment to Move Forward
The Burnaby Board of Trade is raising serious concerns about the Province’s decision to “repace” Phase 2 of the Burnaby Hospital Redevelopment Project. This decision leaves the hospital only partially completed and delays critical healthcare infrastructure that Burnaby residents urgently need.
Burnaby Hospital is not a fully completed redevelopment. Without Phase 2, the project remains unfinished, leaving residents without essential healthcare services required for a city of Burnaby’s size and growth.
Phase 2 includes critical services such as expanded medical imaging, a larger Intensive Care Unit, mammography services, increased inpatient capacity with 110 additional beds, and the planned BC Cancer Centre. These are not optional additions. They are core healthcare services needed to meet the demands of a rapidly growing community.
Burnaby Hospital currently serves more than 500,000 people, a number expected to exceed 700,000 in the coming years. Demand for hospital care in Burnaby is projected to increase by nearly 60 percent by 2036.
Meanwhile, the healthcare system is already under significant strain. Burnaby Hospital sees more than 84,000 emergency visits each year, and hospital bed capacity remains among the lowest in the region relative to population. Delaying Phase 2 will only make this situation worse, forcing more patients to seek care outside their community and placing additional pressure on neighbouring hospitals that are already stretched.
Burnaby residents should not have to leave their own city to access critical care because their hospital expansion has been delayed.
The decision also has real economic consequences. Major infrastructure projects create hundreds of jobs and support local businesses throughout the supply chain. Delaying Phase 2 means the loss of construction and healthcare jobs that would otherwise support Burnaby’s economy, while also impacting the many businesses that rely on a strong local workforce and thriving community.
The Province has also mandated significant housing growth in Burnaby, requiring the city to add approximately 10,000 new homes in the coming years. If Burnaby is expected to welcome thousands of new residents, the healthcare infrastructure must grow alongside it.
The Burnaby community has already stepped forward in support of this project. Treasury Board approved Phase 2 in 2023 with a $1.7 billion commitment, and more than $20 million has already been raised through community philanthropy. Major contributions from the Beedie family and McCarthy Properties, along with other donors, demonstrate the strong belief that Burnaby deserves a modern hospital capable of serving its rapidly growing population.
Delaying the project now risks undermining that community trust while increasing long-term costs due to inflation, labour escalation, and potential procurement delays. Delay does not save money. It increases cost and risk.
Burnaby is the third-largest city in British Columbia and one of its fastest-growing. Its residents deserve the same access to healthcare as other communities across the region.
The Burnaby Board of Trade is calling on the Province to confirm a construction start date for Phase 2, publicly reaffirm that the project will proceed without redesign, and ensure procurement continuity so construction can move forward without further delay.
Burnaby’s growth must be supported by the infrastructure our community depends on. The people of Burnaby have upheld their commitment to this project. Now it is time for the Province to uphold theirs.
