NRRM approves terms of reference and $65K budget for new healthcare committee

FORT NELSON, B.C. — The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality council has approved a founding document for its new select committee on primary care.

During the January 26th council meeting, staff presented a report regarding the formation of the committee, its financial implications on the 2026 draft budget and its primary founding document, the terms of reference. 

The municipality approved the formation of the committee on January 12th amid concerns about long-term primary care in the community, with staff stating the terms of reference would be returned before the council at a later date. 

The terms of reference serve to outline the scope, authority, composition and mandate of the committee. 

According to the terms of reference document, the committee’s mandate is to:

• Assess current and projected primary care capacity and risks in the Northern Rockies.
• Identify and evaluate governance, partnership and service delivery models used in other rural and northern jurisdictions.
• Engage key health sector partners to inform analysis and ensure shared understanding of challenges and opportunities.
• Explore potential infrastructure, funding and operational considerations related to primary care stabilization.
• Produce a final report for regional council outlining findings and recommended options for consideration in mid-2026.

“The committee has no decision-making authority over municipal policy, expenditures, hiring or service delivery,” staff wrote.

Committee meeting frequency, quorum and other details will be determined at the committee’s inaugural meeting, and the meetings will not be open to the public. 

Financially, staff recommended an allocation of $65,000, with approximately $37,000 of this allocated to internal staffing. 

“To support this work, a special project has been established to undertake research and analysis of successful primary care models, and to facilitate consultation with subject-matter experts and interested parties,” staff stated. 

During the January 26th meeting, council unanimously approved the terms of reference and budget proposal.  

To read the complete terms of reference, see below.