B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Health minister Adrian Dix is defending the recent use of Peace Arch Hospital for a film shoot.

After Paramount crews and equipment were spotted filming a production on Dec. 15 at the hospital, local MLAs slammed the fact the White Rock hospital was being used to film a show instead of being used for health care.

At a Dec. 20 press conference in Richmond, Dix re-iterated what Fraser Health said in a previous emailed statement, emphasizing the area of the hospital used for filming was an B次元官网网址渦nused area of the hospital.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 think it was a single room within the hospital that was used and essentially, thatB次元官网网址檚 just accommodating a request from an industry that employs a lot of people and does a good job in employing people in our province. If it was needed for care, it would never be provided. It will never be provided. ThatB次元官网网址檚 not what happens in the health-care system.B次元官网网址�

Dix said he would ask the health authority to look into how often the provinceB次元官网网址檚 health facilities are used for filming.

B次元官网网址淥f course, IB次元官网网址檝e asked them to take a look at it because people have raised the issue with me to take a look at how often it happens. I think it happens relatively rarely and only in space that is surplus to patient care. Frequently, other public facilities get used.B次元官网网址�

After the Dec. 14-15 film shoot, Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford said health care, not show business, should be the priority.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 frustrating. The only crews that should be going into PAH are construction crews to upgrade some of the things that are neededB次元官网网址� the ICU (intensive care unit) is inadequate for the needs of White Rock right now.B次元官网网址�

Halford noted the hospital has B次元官网网址渁mazing staff and frontline workers,B次元官网网址� and said heB次元官网网址檚 proud of the provinceB次元官网网址檚 film sector, which he said has done a lot of great work in White Rock.

B次元官网网址淏ut to utilize a hospital at this time when weB次元官网网址檙e in the crisis weB次元官网网址檙e inB次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檙e sending out patients at Surrey Memorial to motels, weB次元官网网址檝e got portables now for pediatrics at Surrey MemorialB次元官网网址� our health system is not in great shape. ItB次元官网网址檚 never been worse,B次元官网网址� he said.

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B次元官网网址淭he fact is weB次元官网网址檝e got movie crews blocking off substantial areas of the hospital at a time where weB次元官网网址檝e got waits of over 12 hours for the emergency ward. ItB次元官网网址檚 completely unacceptable.B次元官网网址�

His colleague, Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko, who is also the shadow minister for mental health, addiction, recovery and education, echoed his frustration on X.

鈦�.鈦� is allowing a floor of Peace Arch Hospital to be used as a film set. Why not use this space to care for patients who are being sent to motels, or in hallways? Staff who are now going to the motel could have gone to PAH. Hospitals are for healthcare.

B次元官网网址� Elenore Sturko (@elenoresturko)

B次元官网网址淗ospitals are meant for health care,B次元官网网址� she said in a video post.

Sturko also tweeted that B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 sickening to know people at Surrey Memorial Hospital are being treated in hallways and motels while a floor of nearby Peace Arch Hospital is being used to make movies.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 sickening to know people at Surrey Memorial Hospital are being treated in hallways and motels while a floor of nearby Peace Arch Hospital is being used to make movies.

B次元官网网址� Elenore Sturko (@elenoresturko)

In an emailed statement, Fraser Health said the decision to allow filming was made B次元官网网址渨ith careful consideration for patient care, operational needs and the overall benefit to our health care services.B次元官网网址�

The health authority said no hospital services were impacted and full hospital operations maintained throughout the filming, which it said took place in a B次元官网网址渧ery small closed, non-active unit currently being prepared for upcoming renovations.B次元官网网址�

The statement noted that filming in unused spaces at Fraser Health sites B次元官网网址済enerates revenue to directly support patient care and improve infrastructure.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淥ccasionally these out-of-service areas are used for filming as long as no patients are disturbed and hospital services are not impacted,B次元官网网址� it said.

Halford said he has nothing against movies or TV series being filmed on the Semiahmoo Peninsula.

But when B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got diversions from the maternity, weB次元官网网址檝e got long waits in the emergency rooms, weB次元官网网址檝e got a mental health facility at Peace Arch Hospital that they canB次元官网网址檛 staff right nowB次元官网网址� Fraser Health needs to get its priorities straight.B次元官网网址�