Harwinder Sandhu along with Adrian Dix and David Eby making the announcment about the psych ward expansion at Vernon Jubilee Hospital (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Year in Review

Local MLA proud of work done in 2024, plans to continue with efforts next year

Dec 31, 2024 | 6:00 AM

The MLA for the new Vernon-Lumby riding is pleased with the amount of work she did in the past year.

Reflecting on 2024, Harwinder Sandhu told Vernon Matters she accomplished a lot in the final year of her first term in office.

“We had a very exciting start to the year where I’d been advocating for a long time for the psych hospital expansion and mental health addition to the Vernon Jubilee Hospital, and Premier David Eby and Adrian Dix, who was Health Minister then, they announced and made a commitment and investment to expand the mental health facility at the Vernon Jubilee Hospital with 44 beds, which will include two pediatric beds,” Sandhu said.

“Many people know there’s walk-in clinics but many didn’t know that they are private, for-profit clinics. We as a government, and I as the local MLA, want to do everything to fill that gap in the health care system. So we announced [an expansion of] the Primary Care Network [in Vernon], with the many full time positions for doctors, nurse practitioners, dieticians, social workers and mental health workers.

“We secured the money for Foundry to support youth mental health [in Vernon] as well.

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“However, we do realize that when we announce all this, we do need staff to fulfill the needs and gaps in health care and mental health sector. So we expanded the HCAP (Health Career Access Program).”

Other highlights for Sandhu this past year was the completion of the student housing at the Okanagan College Vernon campus, having more publicly funded long-term care beds open at Creekside Landing, seeing more affordable child care spaces open locally, supporting infrastructure projects such as the Silver Star Road Multi-Use Path and flood mitigation at the Vernon Creek Crossing, and bringing Eby to the area for numerous events, celebrations and announcements.

The local MLA also spent a portion of her first term as the Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care, and told Vernon Matters she was proud of the work done under that role such as opening more publicly-funded beds for the growing number of seniors in B.C., and working with United Way to support seniors wishing to stay in their own homes.

Sandhu was re-elected as MLA for Vernon-Lumby in October, and looking ahead to the next year and next term, she wants to continue to work for and with constituents to address their needs.

“Supporting people throughout these times of uncertainty, global inflation and affordability, addressing that and finding ways to support people of all age groups and all backgrounds here in our community, as well as the non-profit sector as they do so much to support our community, to find how to help and bolster our economy,” Sandhu told Vernon Matters.

“There’s the tourism sector that I’m working closely with, the agriculture and business sectors too, and of course there’s the forest industry. Those are the kinds of things I’m constantly addressing and now, with what’s happening across the border with tariffs, I am staying very engaged and trying to stay very proactive.”

Sandhu adds 2025 will also see her continue to monitor the work to establish the new psych ward, along with other big projects in the area such as the wastewater treatment plant; address local housing challenges; and look for affordability options for youth so they can build a future in their home communities.

She also planned to continue to be available to the public so she learn about people’s concerns and come up with solutions.

“It’s people who inspire me, it’s people who teach me the most, and I think staying on the ground will help me continue this work with sincerity and hopefully deliver way more,” Sandhu said.

“Together we can get through the challenges and I remain committed to doing my part.”