---
title: "BC NDP promises 8 MRI machines and 10 CT scanners to cut surgery wait times"
description: "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."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/bc-ndp-health-wait-times-mri-ct-2026"
last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:06:57.722Z"
---

BC NDP leader [David Eby](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/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](/bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp).

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