$90M promised by BC NDP for redevelopment of former Oak Bay Lodge site

A long-vacant Oak Bay property that once housed hundreds of seniors could be a step closer to redevelopment, with BC NDP Leader David Eby pledging $90 million in provincial funding toward the former Oak Bay Lodge site if his party is re-elected.

Eby announced the commitment Sunday, saying the funding would go toward transforming the 3.9-acre property at 2251 Cadboro Bay Road into a new community health and seniors’ care hub.

The announcement comes just weeks after Island Health and the Capital Regional Hospital District (CRHD) signed an agreement to jointly explore the future of the property.

That agreement, announced in September, brought the two organizations together to evaluate redevelopment options for the site over the next two years, but did not approve a project or include any funding commitment.

At the time, potential uses being considered included long-term care, hospice and respite services, seniors’ care, adult day programs, primary care and other community health services.

Sunday’s announcement puts a provincial funding commitment on the table for the first time as that planning work continues.

The BC NDP says a re-elected government would contribute $90 million toward redevelopment, although a final design, mix of services and construction timeline have not yet been determined.

“People should be able to get the care they need close to home, especially as our communities grow and our aging population needs more care,” Eby said in announcing the commitment.

“The former Oak Bay Lodge site gives us a real opportunity to bring more health-care services to Oak Bay. We’re committing $90 million to help make that happen.”

A site with a long history of seniors’ care

Oak Bay Lodge opened in 1972 and operated as a long-term care facility for decades.

The 235-bed facility eventually closed in 2020, with most residents moving to The Summit, a newer 320-bed long-term care facility in Quadra Village.

Ownership of the Oak Bay Lodge property was subsequently transferred to the CRHD, with restrictions requiring the land to continue being used for the public good.

The old building has since been demolished, leaving the Cadboro Bay Road property vacant.

What should replace it has been under discussion for years.

Public consultation conducted by the CRHD in 2021 identified a community health hub focused heavily on seniors as a priority. Ideas included long-term care, assisted living, hospice and respite care, adult day programming, primary care and other community health services.

Island Health and the CRHD later commissioned an economic feasibility study examining redevelopment options.

That process took another significant step on September 18, when the two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding to formally work together on the site’s future.

The agreement itself did not approve construction or commit money to the project. Any eventual redevelopment still requires further planning, funding approvals and provincial endorsement.

The District of Oak Bay would also be responsible for reviewing any rezoning application required for redevelopment.

Seniors’ care becoming an election issue

The Oak Bay Lodge commitment was announced alongside a broader seniors’ health-care platform from the BC NDP.

Eby is promising to add 500 home-care workers, eliminate user fees for home-care support, provide free shingles vaccines to adults 50 and older and expand health services available to residents of long-term care facilities.

The party is also promising to move forward with seven long-term care projects it says had previously been paused.

Seniors’ care has also emerged as an issue for the other major parties during the provincial election campaign.

BC Green Leader Emily Lowan announced her party’s seniors plan over the weekend, including a commitment to increase the number of publicly funded long-term care facilities.

The Greens are also proposing expanded rental assistance for low-income seniors and vacancy controls for assisted-living facilities, including additional service fees.

The Conservative Party of BC has focused its latest health-care announcement on maintaining current health-care spending, recruiting and retaining doctors and nurses, keeping emergency departments open and establishing a commission aimed at reducing health-care wait times.

Neither the BC Greens nor BC Conservatives had publicly announced a position specifically on Eby’s $90-million Oak Bay Lodge commitment as of publication.

For the Oak Bay property itself, significant decisions remain ahead with Island Health and the CRHD still determining exactly which services should ultimately be located there, and no construction date has been announced.