PRRD approves $130.81 million budget for hospital district

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Peace River Regional District (PRRD) has approved the regional hospital district’s $130.81 million budget for 2026.

During the March 19th meeting of the PRRD’s Peace River Regional Hospital District (PRRHD) board, a staff report detailing the 2026 annual budget for the hospital district was presented. 

The report notes the budget is approximately $64.67 million less than in 2025, which is due to the new Dawson Creek and District Hospital nearing completion, and totals $130.81 million. 

There was also a decrease in “carry forward” projects, meaning projects that began in another year and continued into the current year, from approximately $2.41 million to $2.19 million. These projects include around $1.42 million in new equipment pieces worth over $100,000 for the Fort St. John Hospital, and building upgrades to other medical facilities in the region, totalling $772,054.

Funds for the budget are acquired through a variety of grants, as well as two reserves and two surplus accounts maintained by the PRRHD:

• The future capital reserve, $108.80 million
• Old Fort St. John Hospital debenture reserve, $2.66 million
• Appropriated surplus, Northern Health future requests, $556,139
• Unappropriated surplus, $7.68 million

The balances of the two accounts and two reserves are as of “year-end 2025.”

“The future capital reserve is currently being used for the Dawson Creek hospital project,” the staff report stated. 

“[The] 2026 budget will add $18.375 million to this reserve, bringing the total to $127,172,330. [The] total commitment to this project is $177 million, with $75,794,971 paid to date, leaving $101,205,029 still owing.”

According to staff, the old Fort St. John Hospital reserve was previously used to pay off the redevelopment loans related to the old Fort St. John Hospital. The loan was paid off in 2024, and is now used to offset other loans regarding the current Fort St. John Hospital. 

The budget was given its three readings and adopted as the PRRHD 2026 Annual Budget Bylaw.