Construction is officially underway on a new BC Cancer centre in Nanaimo that will provide expanded cancer care and treatment for residents across central Vancouver Island.
The three-storey facility will be built on the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital site and is expected to open in 2028. Once complete, it will offer radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and advanced imaging services—all in one location.
“This facility will deliver better care for cancer patients for many years to come by providing vital services closer to home, so patients won’t have to travel long distances for treatment,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure.
The new centre will feature 16 treatment bays and two treatment rooms for systemic therapy, as well as an oncology care unit with 12 exam rooms and four consultation spaces.
It will also include four linear accelerator vaults for radiation treatment, an oncology pharmacy built to national standards, advanced CT and PET/CT scanners, and expanded parking through a parkade and surface lot.
When it opens, the facility is expected to host around 11,000 radiation consultations and follow-up appointments annually and deliver approximately 20,000 treatments for up to 1,600 patients each year.
For cancer survivors like Joanne Falvai from Qualicum Beach, that access will make a life-changing difference.
“When I received radiation treatment, our family had to relocate from Qualicum Beach to Victoria for seven weeks,” Falvai said. “Cancer can take so much from you—having care close to home makes all the difference.”
The $311-million project is being funded by the Province through Island Health, the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District, and the BC Cancer Foundation, which has launched a $10-million fundraising campaign.
The new centre is part of more than $730 million in investments supporting 60 health-care projects across the region, including Nanaimo’s new urgent primary care centre, a new intensive care unit, and an additional MRI machine at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
“By bringing advanced, integrated cancer treatment closer to home, we are not only improving access for patients and families but also supporting them through some of the most challenging moments of their lives,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health.
Construction is now underway, with the BC Cancer–Nanaimo centre scheduled to open in 2028.
Once operational, it is expected to provide cancer care for about 3,500 residents across central and northern Vancouver Island each year, reducing the need for patients to travel to Victoria or Vancouver for treatment.
