Wednesday afternoon’s announcement that the Vancouver Island Health Authority will recommend a new regional hospital at the Inland Island Highway and Dove Creek was met with derision by the members of the public present.

“We need a new government and elected hospital boards, boards that are accountable to the people,” called out Brenda Leigh, Comox-Strathcona Regional District ‘Area D’ director, as the announcement was made. “This is a disaster.”

North Island MLA Claire Trevena said VIHA didn’t listen to the hundreds of people who turned out at a series of public consultation meetings earlier this year to speak against the idea.

“It’s very disappointing, it’s very sad for the North Island,” Trevena said.

She said a hospital located in an area without a community presents transportation problems for the elderly, people without cars and people on low incomes.

“For people without a car, without the money for a taxi, how will they get there?” she asked.

Jo Taylor, BC Nurses’ Union lobby coordinator for the Pacific Rim Region, agreed VIHA had not listened to North Island residents.

“I think the public hasn’t been heard today,” she said after Wednesday’s VIHA meeting.

She said VIHA says a new regional hospital would be easily accessed within half an hour by most members of the population in the area, but they’re not taking into consideration ambulance wait times or the cost for people on low incomes.

“People on fixed incomes can’t afford to pay for an ambulance ride or pay for a taxi ride after hours to get to this facility,” she said.

She added that BCNU also wonders where the nurses to staff the facility will come from. VIHA says the Campbell River Hospital will retain almost all the services it has now, and St. Joseph’s Hospital will still be providing services, which means both those facilities will still need nurses, Taylor said. So where are the new nurses to staff a new regional hospital to come from?

“There’s a shortage of nurses all over the Island already,” she said.