BC NDP promises 8 MRI machines and 10 CT scanners to cut surgery wait times
David Eby's party says the new equipment will increase diagnostic capacity by 15 per cent and a shared regional waitlist will let patients choose the shortest available wait.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on dailyhive.com.
BC NDP leader David Eby announced on October 6 that a re-elected NDP government would add 8 new MRI machines and 10 CT scanners to the province's health system. Daily Hive Vancouver reported the announcement the same day, citing the party's press release.
The party says the new equipment would increase BC's diagnostic capacity by 15 per cent, according to the BC NDP's press release as reported by Daily Hive.
A shared waiting list across regions
The announcement also included a plan for a coordinated regional surgical waitlist. The BC NDP says the current system assigns patients to individual surgeons, and wait times can vary between 10 and more than 50 weeks depending on the surgeon, according to the party's press release.
The NDP's plan would match patients with available capacity across a region. According to the party's release, patients could choose a specific surgeon, an appointment at their nearest hospital, or the shortest available wait.
"Waiting for a scan or surgery can mean living with pain and worrying every day about when you'll finally get the call," Eby said in a statement included in the party's release.
Conservative response
The Conservative Party of BC said on its website on October 6 that the NDP had broken the province's health care system and that Eby had doubled wait times for diagnostic care. The Conservatives said their own platform addresses health care, including a plan to keep emergency rooms open. The party's figures are its own and have not been independently audited.
Neither party provided an independently verified cost for its health care commitments.
Health care has been one of the main topics of the 2026 provincial election campaign. The BC Greens also announced a plan on October 6 to fund community health centres in every riding and to increase support for health care workers.
Voting day is October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. You can compare party platforms at /bc/provincial-2026/parties.
Questions this story answers
What did the BC NDP promise about health care wait times?
On October 6, 2026, BC NDP leader David Eby announced a plan to add 8 new MRI machines and 10 CT scanners to the provincial health system if his party is re-elected. According to the BC NDP's press release, the party says this would increase the province's diagnostic capacity by 15 per cent. The party also promised to create a coordinated regional surgical waitlist so patients could be matched with available capacity across a region rather than waiting for a specific surgeon.
How long do people in BC wait for surgery now?
According to the BC NDP's press release, reported by Daily Hive Vancouver on October 6, 2026, the wait time a patient faces for surgery in BC depends on which surgeon they were referred to. The party says this wait can vary between 10 and 50 or more weeks, depending on the surgeon. Daily Hive noted this figure comes from the NDP's own release and has not been independently verified.
What is the coordinated regional surgical waitlist the NDP is promising?
The BC NDP says the coordinated regional surgical waitlist would match patients with available capacity across a region rather than tying them to one surgeon's waiting list. According to the party's press release, as reported by Daily Hive Vancouver, patients would be able to choose a specific surgeon, an appointment at their closest hospital, or the shortest possible wait time. The party describes it as reducing the chance that someone is waiting for a surgeon with a longer queue while another surgeon in the same region has an opening.
Did the BC Conservatives respond to this health care announcement?
Yes. Daily Hive Vancouver reported on October 6, 2026 that the BC Conservatives accused the NDP of breaking the health care system and then pretending to fix it during the campaign. The Conservatives published a statement on their website saying Eby's announcement was opportunistic and that the NDP had doubled wait times for diagnostic care. The Conservatives also said their own platform includes a plan to keep emergency rooms open. Neither party's figures on wait times have been independently audited during the campaign.
How much would the NDP's health care plan cost?
Daily Hive Vancouver's October 6, 2026 article on this announcement did not report a cost figure for the 8 MRI machines, 10 CT scanners, and coordinated regional waitlist. The BC NDP did not include a cost in the press release cited by the outlet. Voters looking for a costed breakdown can check the party's full platform at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp.
Where can I find David Eby's candidate page?
David Eby is the BC NDP leader and candidate for Vancouver-Point Grey. His candidate page is at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/david-eby. It lists his party, district, and any information the site has collected about his platform and campaign activities during the 2026 provincial election.
What other health care promises have parties made in this election?
During the 2026 BC provincial election campaign, the BC NDP, Conservative Party of BC, and BC Green Party have each announced health care commitments. The Conservatives have promised to hire up to 1,000 new police, crown prosecutors, and judges, and have also released an emergency room plan. The BC Greens have pledged to fund community health centres in every riding. You can compare party positions at /bc/provincial-2026/parties.
Where can I read the Daily Hive article about this announcement?
Daily Hive Vancouver published the article on October 6, 2026, with the headline 'How the BC NDP plans to address long wait times for medical appointments.' It reports on the BC NDP's press release about adding 8 MRI machines, 10 CT scanners, and a coordinated regional surgical waitlist. The primary source is the BC NDP's own press release, which Daily Hive cited and which is the party's own account of what it would do if re-elected.
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