Surrey Outpatient Hospital Location Announced

The Green Timbers site in Surrey will be home to the new 148,000-square foot Surrey Outpatient Hospital, announced Premier Gordon Campbell.

• The hospital is part of the B.C. Government's plan to improve access to health care and ease congestion at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
• The planned hospital will be located on a 5.8-acre site at the corner of 140th Street and the Fraser Highway, less than one kilometre from Surrey Memorial Hospital.
• Construction is expected to begin in 2008 with completion in 2009 at an estimated cost of $126 million.

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Canada and B.C. Sign Infrastructure Agreement

The governments of British Columbia and Canada have signed a new infrastructure agreement that will provide $102 million in funding over the coming year to projects in communities across B.C.

• Under the Canada-British Columbia Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund agreement, the two governments will each commit $51 million.
• Participating municipal governments are expected to match this amount, for a total of over $150 million.
• A minimum of 80 per cent of funding will be targeted toward communities with a population under 250,000 people.

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B.C. and Washington State Call to Delay Passport Requirement

The governments of British Columbia and Washington have issued a joint letter to the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Canada calling for a delay to the proposed passport requirements for re-entry into the United States.

• The letter was signed by Premier Gordon Campbell and Washington Governor Chris Gregoire at the first ever high-level dialogue between the two jurisdictions.
• The leaders signed a letter reiterating the need to resolve uncertainty at the border and outlining their concerns regarding the proposed Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which will require passports for all re-entry to the U.S. by 2008.
• Both parties also discussed other issues of mutual concern including improved coordination during times of crisis and cross-border collaboration during health emergencies such as pandemics.

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Grant Reconnects Aboriginal Children in Care with Their Heritage

A $500,000 grant from the B.C. Government will fund projects in northern B.C. to help reconnect Aboriginal children in government care to their communities, culture and extended families, announced Children and Family Development Minister Stan Hagen.

• The grant will be administered by the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation in Victoria on behalf of delegated agencies and communities in the North.
• The Foundation will set up an advisory committee to review proposals and approve projects and funding.
• The advisory committee will be made up of members from the Northern Aboriginal Authority for Families and delegated Aboriginal agencies.

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Funding to Nisga’a for Offshore Information Project

The B.C. Government and the Nisga’a Lisims Government are moving forward with a community information project on offshore oil and gas with funding from the Province, announced Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Minister Richard Neufeld.

• The Nisga’a Nation has expressed considerable interest in learning more about all aspects of the industry and the potential for their involvement in it.
• The B.C. Government and the Nisga’a Lisims Government had previously entered into a protocol  to work together to provide the Nisga’a Nation communities information on the potential environmental, economic social and cultural benefits, risks and opportunities from offshore oil and gas.
• Nearly $285,000 is being provided to coordinate workshops and conduct fact finding trips and surveys.

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