BC Health Coalition urges province to end contract with U.S. owner of LifeLabs

VICTORIA — A public health advocacy group is urging the British Columbia government to end a contract with an American company that owns LifeLabs, the province’s main provider of outpatient lab services.

The BC Health Coalition has issued an open letter urging Premier David Eby to follow through on a directive he issued last week for all government bodies to review their connections to U.S. firms amid the tariff dispute, then cancel its contract with Quest Diagnostics.

The American firm acquired LifeLabs across Canada last year for $1.35 billion, and the company is now involved in a labour dispute with its B.C. workers who are eight weeks into strike action.

About 1,200 striking LifeLabs workers are members of the B.C. General Employees Union and have been conducting rotating job action, temporarily closing labs on certain days.

The coalition’s letter now urges the province to bring laboratory services into the public system.

The letter says that a public system would reduce wait times, save money, and improve working conditions and service deliveries.

The release of the letter comes ahead of LifeLabs workers job action outside the B.C. legislature on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2025.

The Canadian Press