A city councillor in Delta expresses frustration after his proposal to declare a public health crisis was rejected during a council meeting on Monday night.
Over the weekend, Delta Hospital’s emergency department had to shut down for over 12 hours, marking the fourth closure this year.
Councillor Dylan Kruger brought forth a motion on Monday, denouncing the repeated closures as unacceptable and urging the city to take a strong stance.
Addressing the lack of urgent care centers, walk-in clinics, and family doctors in the community, Kruger emphasized the severity of the situation as a public health crisis in an interview with 1130 NewsRadio.
However, Mayor George Harvie deemed Kruger’s motion inappropriate during the council session later that day.
Expressing disappointment, Kruger highlighted the importance of raising awareness through a public health emergency declaration, citing examples of other cities in British Columbia declaring emergencies for various issues.
Kruger stressed that the motion was dismissed without the opportunity for debate or a vote, condemning the mayor for prioritizing politics over the well-being of the community.
Despite the setback, Kruger affirmed his commitment to advocating for the prevention of future emergency department closures in Delta.
He emphasized the broader impact of staffing shortages, stating that the issue extends beyond Delta to Metro Vancouver and the entire province, urging immediate action to address the systemic challenges.