Oliver, B.C., a community situated approximately 35 kilometres south of Penticton, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for new modular housing units aimed at attracting health-care workers. This unique initiative is a direct response to the crisis facing communities in South Okanagan. It follows a recent spate of 30 emergency room closures this year for the South Okanagan General Hospital.
The emergency room in Oliver serves not only its residents but smaller communities nearby, including Osoyoos. When the hospital suddenly closes in early December, patients are being funneled to the next closest facility in Penticton. This diversion requires a drive of roughly 40 kilometres. This has truly been an unprecedented time, with 15 of those closures coming just between June and September. Even brief disruptions have a snowball effect across the region, increasing pressure on already scarce and urgent healthcare resources.
The modular housing units will be built on the grounds of the Sunnybank Centre, a long-term care home owned by the city that operates in Oliver. With room for four health-care workers each, these two-bedroom homes are slated to be finished by March 2026. The town’s officials believe that providing adequate housing will address a major barrier in recruiting health professionals to the area.
“If you got an emergency and you need care immediately, and Penticton is your only option, you have to phone an ambulance — which pulls an ambulance out of our community, and then there are people waiting for an ambulance to come back.” – Martin Johansen
Madeline Csillag-Wong, a spokesperson for the health authority, emphasized how significant this is.
The modular homes are intended to help health-care providers visit on a temporary basis when working in Oliver.
“Oliver is a beautiful place to live and work — but during the peak tourist season, it is extremely difficult to find available housing for any of our travelling health-care providers.” – Madeline Csillag-Wong
Mayor Johansen too was positive on the effect the project could have on recruitment.
“And so, by putting in the modular housing, we are able to ensure that people who come to Oliver for short stints will have a place to stay.” – Madeline Csillag-Wong
Mayor Johansen also expressed optimism about the project’s potential impact on recruitment.
“This is really going to help people come from a lot further away — whether it is from northern B.C., or Alberta, or internationally, it is really going to help us attract those kinds of people where we haven’t been able to before.” – Martin Johansen
