LETTER: Health care hasn’t kept pace with Surrey’s growth
Published 7:00 am Sunday, August 16, 2026
Editor,
Health care needs to be prioritized and available when people really need it. This has become a challenge for many, as wait times are way too long in Surrey, leaving people unable to get the care that they need. Many patients end up spending hours in the hospital as the emergency departments get busier and busier. This can be very hard to handle for patients and their loved ones as they wait to get seen.
Surrey has increasingly grown, and people need to be able to get the health-care services they need. It is very difficult if the population continues to grow, but the health-care system does not match in terms of how much it is growing. Having hospitals take more patients and be overcrowded is not a long-term solution that will solve this issue.
Actions need to be taken, such as investing in hospitals when it comes to capacity, making sure to increase staff, and expanding health-care centres. Patients need to be able to go to health-care facilities and make sure they get clear information when it comes to which health-care centre fits their medical needs. When one may need medical attention, let’s not make patients expect such long wait times to be normal, as these wait times lead to lots of frustration and stress for many. This is why, as the city grows, the health-care system needs to grow with it.
This is why it is time for action to be taken for better access to health care for everyone.
Harleen Dhindsa