Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok (pictured right) and Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka are working together to open more healthcare channels in Southern Alberta for southeast B.C. residents.

The two MLAs recently met with Health Minister Adrian Dix regarding trans-border healthcare “and lack of access for those of us that are more geographically attached to Calgary, than we are with Vancouver,” reported Clovechok via social media.

“The response I received from the Minister was that it is because there is an ever-increasing resource pressure on Alberta Health Services (AHS), especially at Foothills Hospital in Calgary. Although this may be true and I have suspicions that it is much more than this, these answers do not solve our problems,” he stated.

“We need affordable, timely, reliable, access to healthcare, and Vancouver or Victoria is not a practical avenue. Opening those channels to Alberta or improving upon our services here in Columbia River-Revelstoke is a goal worth fighting for.

This starts with awareness in Victoria, and our constituency staff have been stellar in gathering information with our great partnerships with Interior Health, physicians and care specialists in our region,” Clovechok said, adding he needs help from riding residents.

“We also need the residents to provide us with testimonials of their own unique experiences; positive or negative regarding access to services in Alberta. We will fight hard to bring this issue to the forefront as it only really touches those border ridings in the province, and needs to reach the ear of our current government,” he said, adding he’s teaming up with fellow MLA Shypitka “to bring both our regions together for a strong concerted voice.”

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