Chilliwack-Cultus Lake NDP Candidate Pledges $8 Million for Hospital MRI
BC NDP candidate Kelli Paddon said on October 21 that a re-elected NDP government would contribute $8 million toward an MRI machine for Chilliwack General Hospital, where $14 million has already been raised locally.
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BC NDP candidate Kelli Paddon announced on October 21, 2026, that a re-elected BC NDP government would contribute $8 million toward an MRI machine at Chilliwack General Hospital, Fraser Valley Today reported. She made the announcement at Sardis Park in Chilliwack, three days before the October 24 provincial election.
Paddon is the incumbent MLA running in Chilliwack-Cultus Lake. Community groups have already raised $14 million toward the Chilliwack General Hospital MRI project, according to Fraser Valley Today. The article names the Chilliwack Hospital Foundation, the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation, and community donors as contributors to that total.
Paddon said, as quoted by Fraser Valley Today: "People in Chilliwack deserve access to care in their own community and no one should have to travel elsewhere to get the care they need." She said she is "happy to be part of the BC NDP team that will help deliver this important service to our community."
The $8 million is a conditional campaign pledge: it depends on the BC NDP winning the election. The NDP has not published a separate budget document for this commitment. Fraser Valley Today does not state the full cost of the MRI project, so this site cannot confirm whether the $14 million already raised and the pledged $8 million cover the total.
Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove is quoted calling the project "a priority for our community for many years." Jason Lum, identified in the article as mayor-elect, is quoted saying he is committed to working with Fraser Health to begin construction within 12 months of funding being secured. Neither Popove nor Lum is a candidate in the provincial election.
Voters in Chilliwack-Cultus Lake who want to weigh this pledge before Saturday can read Kelli Paddon's candidate page at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/kelli-paddon and the district page at /bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/chilliwack-cultus-lake. Voting day is October 24, 2026.
Questions this story answers
What did Kelli Paddon pledge for Chilliwack General Hospital?
Kelli Paddon, the BC NDP candidate for Chilliwack-Cultus Lake, announced on October 21, 2026, at Sardis Park in Chilliwack that a re-elected BC NDP government would contribute $8 million toward an MRI machine for Chilliwack General Hospital. That $8 million is a conditional campaign pledge: the money would come only if the BC NDP wins the October 24 election. Fraser Valley Today reported the announcement.
How much money has Chilliwack raised for the MRI machine?
Fraser Valley Today reports that community groups have already raised $14 million toward the Chilliwack General Hospital MRI project. The article names the Chilliwack Hospital Foundation, the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation, and community donors as contributors. Combined with the $8 million conditional NDP commitment, the article presents this as covering the project's cost, but no total project cost is stated in the article.
Who is Kelli Paddon and what riding does she represent?
Kelli Paddon is the BC NDP candidate for Chilliwack-Cultus Lake in the October 24, 2026 BC provincial election. Fraser Valley Today identifies her as the incumbent MLA seeking re-election. Her candidate page is at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/kelli-paddon. Voters in Chilliwack-Cultus Lake vote on Saturday, October 24.
What did the Chilliwack mayor say about the MRI pledge?
Fraser Valley Today quotes Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove calling the MRI machine 'a priority for our community for many years.' The article also quotes Jason Lum, identified as mayor-elect, saying he is committed to working with Fraser Health to begin construction within 12 months of the funding being secured. Both are quoted in support of the project but neither is a candidate in the provincial election.
What did Kelli Paddon say about healthcare access in Chilliwack?
Paddon said, as quoted by Fraser Valley Today: 'People in Chilliwack deserve access to care in their own community and no one should have to travel elsewhere to get the care they need.' She also said she is 'happy to be part of the BC NDP team that will help deliver this important service to our community.' Those are her own words as quoted in the October 21, 2026 article.
Is the $8 million commitment already in the BC budget?
The $8 million commitment is a campaign pledge, conditional on the BC NDP winning the October 24, 2026 election. Fraser Valley Today reports it as Paddon pledging that a re-elected NDP government would make the contribution. It is not an existing budget line. The NDP has not published a budget document for this commitment in this article.
What is the status of the Chilliwack MRI project overall?
Fraser Valley Today reports that $14 million has been raised locally, through the Chilliwack Hospital Foundation, the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation, and community donors. Kelli Paddon's conditional pledge would add $8 million from a re-elected BC NDP government. The article does not state the full cost of the project or whether $22 million is the complete amount needed. Those details are not in the source article.
When is the BC election and where can voters in Chilliwack-Cultus Lake learn more?
The BC provincial election is on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Voters in Chilliwack-Cultus Lake can read Kelli Paddon's candidate page at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/kelli-paddon and find their district page at /bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/chilliwack-cultus-lake. Elections BC has voting information at elections.bc.ca.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Fraser Valley Today, October 21, 2026fraservalleytoday.ca
- Kelli Paddon candidate pagevoche.me
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