YOUR PERSPECTIVE: Strengthening primary care access for a growing British Columbia

Last week, Premier David Eby announced that we’ve connected over 600,000 people to a family doctor or nurse practitioner since 2023, with more than 4,000 people being matched every single week. Thanks to this work, B.C. now has one of the strongest physician communities in the country, with more family doctors practicing here than ever before.  This progress is making a real difference for families, seniors, and communities across the province.

British Columbia is a great place to live and work, and it’s no wonder that people want to locate to our part of the world. As our province grows and more people choose to call B.C. home, we know we have to make sure our public services keep pace, so everyone can thrive. That’s why our government is focused on building an even stronger and more reliable public health-care system that every British Columbian can count on.

In my role as Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Care Access, I hear every day from people across the province about how essential it is to have a family doctor or nurse practitioner they can rely on.  Primary care is where people get answers early, manage ongoing health needs, and stay healthier over time. It is the front door to our health-care system.

At the same time, we are continuing to recruit health-care workers to meet today’s needs. As of February 2026, more than 500 doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and allied health professionals from the United States have accepted jobs within B.C.’s public health-care system. These professionals are choosing B.C. because of our strong public healthcare system and our commitment to evidence-based medicine.