Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford had some questions about the ongoing maternity diversions at a White Rock hospital in the B.C. Legislature Thursday.
During oral question period, Halford, who is the interim Leader of the Official Opposition, noted Peace Arch Hospital’s maternity ward has now been closed for the fourth time in six weeks, and for the seventh time in 10 weeks, as yet another “temporary” maternity diversion took effect Thursday morning (Feb. 19) at 8 a.m.
“Since December of last year, the maternity ward has been closed over 21 days. Expectant mothers are being left in limbo, which is completely unacceptable,” Halford said. “Doctors have been warning this government about a shortage of OB-GYNS for years and that has fallen on deaf ears … this government has also failed to address the urgency that it deserves.
“My question to the premier, to this government, is a direct one: Why has the government failed to keep the doors of these maternity wards — whether it’s Peace Arch Hospital or Maple Ridge — why has this government failed mothers, and why does it continue to do so?”
B.C. Minister of Health Josie Osborne said she understands the diversions can be stressful for expecting mothers and families.
“I want to assure all members of this house that the health authorities always take every step they possibly can to fill gaps in service, to find locums, and there are unfortunately cases where this just isn’t possible. … This is because of a shortage of the specialists that are required for this service,” Osborne said, and encouraged all expectant parents to attend the hospital nearest to them and work with their care provider for alternate arrangements as required.
“I also want to assure members of this house that this government continues to do everything that we can to increase the number of specialists in this province — we are making progress, Mr. Speaker, through the actions we are taking, by recruiting physicians from other jurisdictions. … We will continue this work in bringing in more physicians, in creating more physicians through the new medical school at SFU, for example.”
Halford fired back that Osborne’s response was nothing new.
“Here’s the problem in itself — the answer that the minister just gave is an answer that she has given time and time again — in this house, outside to media (and) more importantly, to expectant mothers, and the minister before her carried on that tradition as well,” he said. “So the urgency that this government has … we are not seeing in the maternity wards. The minister says to go to the nearest hospital — if it’s open, they can do that, but if you’re in other areas of this province, chances are, it might not be. You might have to drive four to five hours,” he said.
“It’s not that we don’t believe the minister — it’s the fact that the doctors don’t believe the minister. That is the problem,” Halford said, to thunderous applause.
Halford also touched on the fact that 97 per cent of the province’s paramedics are “prepared to reduce their work to fight for fair and equitable wages.”
‘Will this minister stand up and realize that she has absolutely failed our frontline workers, specifically paramedics, yes or no?” Halford questioned.
Osborne responded with “This government has taken consistent and urgent action in creating the conditions for more physicians, for more paramedics and more nurses to join our health-care workforce,” and noted there is a “global shortage of health-care workers.”
Maternity diversions at Peace Arch Hospital since Dec. 7, 2025 include:
• Dec. 7 to 10, 2025
• Dec. 22 to 25, 2025
• Dec. 29, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026
• Jan. 8 to Jan. 12, 2026
• Jan. 22 to Jan. 26, 2026
• Feb. 5 to Feb. 10, 2026
• Feb. 19 to Feb. 25, 2026