B.C. parties express support for new patient tower at Nanaimo hospital [Video]

All three major B.C. political parties have expressed support for building a new patient tower at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, which has long been requested by health-care advocates and doctors.

“Every human being north of the Malahat needs to get better patient care and building a new patient tower will do that,” said Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation CEO Barney Ellis-Perry.

The foundation and Fair Care Alliance say a 600-bed patient care tower is desperately needed to meet the growing population and one with the country’s oldest demographic. The current tower was built in 1962 with space for 346 beds.

“On any given day we have over 400 patients in the tower. That means they’re in hallways. Some of them are in what used to be closets,” said Ellis-Perry.

BC NDP Leader David Eby made a surprise announcement pledging the party’s commitment to it at a town hall event in …