John Horgan promises to invest in four new MRI machines, if re-elected

VICTORIA — While Andrew Wilkinson continues to double down on his commitment to cut taxes for those at the top, John Horgan promised to build on the BC NDP’s progress to cut health care wait times by investing in four new MRI machines.

“Ensuring British Columbians have faster access to quality health care has never been more important,” said Horgan. “Andrew Wilkinson’s plan to hand the wealthy and the well-connected a big tax giveaway would mean fewer resources for hospitals and longer wait times for people. Those are the wrong priorities, especially right now.”

Horgan made the comments in front of the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, home to one of eight new MRIs around the province that have helped cut wait times for exams in half. A new, sate-of-the-art PET/CT at the BC Cancer Centre is also helping ensure people on Vancouver Island can get cancer diagnostic services closer to home.

“Thanks to the progress John Horgan has made, thousands of people on Vancouver Island can now access the care they need without having to travel to the mainland,” said Grace Lore, the BC NDP candidate for Victoria-Beacon Hill. “Now is not the time to go back to a government that puts the wealthy and well-connected before the services families count on.”

Despite doubling the amount families paid for medical premiums, the old BC Liberal government allowed wait times for MRIs to become the longest in Canada. Horgan warned that Andrew Wilkinson’s plan to cut $3 billion in taxes for wealthy speculators and BC’s biggest businesses would put the BC NDP’s progress to reduce wait times at risk.

Quick facts on MRI wait times:

• Under the BC Liberals, BC had the longest wait times for an MRI in Canada.
• Northern Health had the lowest MRI rates per capital in the entire country.
• John Horgan and the BC NDP have cut MRI wait-times in half, by 125 days. Half of people now get their MRI within 47 days.
• The BC NDP government increased the number of MRIs performed each year each year by 45% from 173,678 to 252,531 last year.
• A re-elected BC NDP government will add 4 new MRI machines in the next year at: Ridge Meadows in Maple Ridge, Langley Memorial Hospital, Vancouver General Hospital, and St. Paul’s Hospital.