Construction has begun on a new BC Cancer centre in Kamloops that will provide people in the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap region with better access to cancer care closer to home.
"This new BC Cancer centre in Kamloops is the single largest capital investment into the expansion of cancer care in the Kamloops region,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “By building a facility equipped with the latest technology designed to meet the growing treatment needs of patients in the area, we're helping more people have access to high-quality cancer care closer to home. This project is part of our broader commitment to strengthening health-care infrastructure across the province.”
The centre is being built at the Westlands site at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.
Chemotherapy is available at Royal Inland’s community oncology network clinic in Kamloops. Currently, patients travel to Kelowna or the Lower Mainland for radiation treatment. At the new centre, radiation treatment will be provided in shielded treatment rooms with three high-energy radiation treatment linear accelerators (LINACS).
Once the cancer centre opens to patients in 2028, it is expected to host 7,500 patient radiation consults and follow-up appointments annually. In its opening year, the centre is expected to provide approximately 16,500 treatments for up to 1,200 patients. This will save patients and their families time, stress and the burden of long-distance travel during care.
“The new BC Cancer centre in Kamloops is about delivering life-saving care closer to where people live, and to their loved ones and support networks,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “When people can access care closer to home, we know it leads to better experiences and healthier outcomes. This centre is a vital step toward ensuring people in the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap region receive timely, high-quality cancer care, when and where they need it most.”
The new BC Cancer centre will include:
- Radiation therapy planning including a computerized tomography scan (CT) simulator;
- Diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
- An outpatient oncology ambulatory care unit, including exam rooms and consult rooms;
- An interfaith sacred space for for patients, caregivers and staff to recuperate and recharge;
- Staff support, including offices and workstations; and
- A 470-stall parkade.
The project also includes expansion and upgrades to Royal Inland’s community oncology clinic and pharmacy.
EllisDon Corporation has been selected to lead construction. Upgrades to the existing oncology clinic will continue, with work scheduled to finish at that site in 2029.
The new facility will be operated by BC Cancer in partnership with Interior Health. The estimated cost of the project is approximately $386 million, shared between the Province and the Thompson Regional Hospital District.
Royal Inland Hospital is one of two Interior Health tertiary referral hospitals, providing care for people in the Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap region. It offers services including emergency care, surgeries, mental-health support, medical testing, cancer care and outpatient clinics.
The new BC Cancer centre is part of B.C.’s 10-Year Cancer Action Plan, which sets out immediate steps to improve prevention, detection and treatment of cancer.
Quick Facts:
- As the population grows and ages, the number of people diagnosed with cancer continues to increase.
- Upgrades to Royal Inland’s community oncology clinic will include modernizing and increasing the number of cancer-treatment spaces and exam rooms.
- The pharmacy will also be renovated and expanded, with enhanced functionality including the installation of improved dispensing and automated-dispensing replenishing area, along with additional storage.
Learn More:
To view the original funding announcement, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024HLTH0016-000162
To learn more about B.C.’s 10-Year Cancer Action Plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HLTH0012-000229
For more information about health capital projects in B.C., visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/capital-projects
A backgrounder follows.
