Talks between B.C. nurses and employer at impasse, union wants the province to help

SURREY — The BC Nurses’ Union said Thursday that negotiations with the employer have broken down, and the group is calling on the provincial government to step in to help end their dispute that triggered job action last week.

The union said in a statement that the nurses’ strike is entering a “significantly new phase,” with job action expanding to additional hospitals and care centres across the province.

“We have reached a critical point in this dispute,” said union president Adriane Gear in a statement.

“Nurses have bargained in good faith, and we’ve taken measured job action while maintaining essential services to protect patient safety. The provincial government can end this dispute.”

In an email response, B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said the province’s Health Employers Association is “ready to return to the table at anytime,” and the province expects the two bargaining parties to reach an agreement.

Osborne said the province has worked to hire more nurses while addressing concerns such as nurse-to-patient ratios and workplace safety, but “substantial gaps still remain” in the negotiation on key issues with the union.

“While we’ve made progress together on these priorities, there’s no question there’s more to do,” Osborne said, adding that the public should continue to seek emergency or urgent care since hospitals remain open.

The union said that starting on the weekend, picket lines will extend to major health facilities across the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island.

The moves, the union added, is a bid to increase pressure on the government to intervene.

Gear said the government can provide the health employers with a mandate that helps retain nurses, strengthen public health care and prevent further disruption.

The union statement added that its decision to expand job action is also driven by the treatment of nurses who are taking strike action, and since July 2, BCNU has received more than 2,300 reports from members alleging intimidation, coercion and threats for refusing non-nursing duties.

Union pickets were set up outside Surrey Memorial Hospital and just blocks away at the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre on Thursday.

The union has also filed an unfair labour practice application with the provincial labour board over what it says is the employers attempt to interfere with the members’ lawful job action.

“Nurses should never be threatened or intimidated for exercising their legal rights,” Gear said in the statement.

“What we are hearing from our members is deeply concerning. Instead of listening to nurses and working with us to resolve this dispute, health employers have chosen to challenge the very people who keep our hospitals running. That is not acceptable.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2026.

The Canadian Press