Minister says ‘fiscal pressures’ led to Peace Villa expansion delay

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Minister of Infrastructure has responded to a letter sent by the mayor of Fort St. John about delaying the expansion project at the Peace Villa.

In a recent letter to the City of Fort St. John council on April 27th, Bowinn Ma, the Minister of Infrastructure, acknowledged the city’s concerns about the delay of the Peace Villa expansion project and explained that the delay was a result of “fiscal pressures.”

“Construction costs continue to rise, pushing the price of building long-term care homes beyond sustainable levels,” Ma said. 

In February, B.C.’s Minister of Finance, Brenda Bailey, announced the previously publicized Peace Villa expansion was being delayed without a new start date.

Following the announcement, Bailey cited “significant and unsustainable costs” of up to $1.8 million per bed as the reason the project was delayed.   

In March, Fort St. John mayor Lilia Hansen wrote a letter to the province on behalf of the council and residents detailing concerns about the postponement.

“The postponement of an approved project at this stage has introduced uncertainty for residents and families who have been planning around its anticipated delivery and for the community systems that depend on that capacity,” Hansen wrote.

In reply to the letter, Ma explained the province “remains committed” to building long-term care homes for communities such as Fort St. John.  

“Since 2017, the province has completed 16 long-term care projects and has six more projects underway, with much more to do,” Ma stated. 

“The Ministry of Infrastructure is currently working to identify strategies that increase cost-efficiency whilst maintaining a high level of care for seniors. Right now, this means adjusting timelines for the delivery of seven approved long-term care projects—including the Peace Villa expansion project—to allow us to do the work necessary to ensure these beds – and more – can be delivered sustainably.”

To read Bowinn Ma’s complete letter, see below.