The provincial government remains committed to expanding Fort St. John’s Peace Villa long-term care home, but the project’s timeline remains unclear as officials work to reduce costs.
In a statement to Vista Radio News, the Ministry of Infrastructure said the expansion remains an approved project in B.C.’s capital plan but its timeline was adjusted as part of Budget 2026.
The ministry estimated the project would cost about $1.8 million per bed and called that figure unsustainable.
“We can’t deliver the long-term care beds communities need at this price,” the ministry said.
The province said it is working with partners to find a more cost-effective way to deliver the project.
It has not provided a new construction date or said when a revised timeline will be announced.
That leaves questions for local seniors and families waiting for additional long-term care capacity in the region.
Gail Weber, a Fort St. John resident and member of Save Our Northern Seniors, has advocated for the expansion and previously sent hundreds of letters to the provincial government urging action.
Northern Health approved the expansion in June 2025, with construction originally expected to begin in spring 2027 and the new beds to open in 2030.
Northern Health later announced some contracts connected to the expansion would be cancelled while it worked with the province to reduce costs.
The province said the Peace Villa project is one of seven long-term care projects whose timelines were adjusted as part of Budget 2026.
Across B.C., the government has completed 16 long-term care homes since 2017, with another five under construction. Together, those projects are expected to deliver more than 2,600 beds, while more than 1,000 additional beds are in the preconstruction phase.
For Fort St. John, the key question is when the additional beds will be available.
The Ministry of Infrastructure has not provided a date for when construction on the Peace Villa expansion could begin or how long it expects the cost review to take.
Northern Health has also been asked to clarify what the delay means for seniors waiting for placement and whether the number of people waiting for long-term care in the region has changed since the project was approved.
The province said its goal is to deliver the Peace Villa expansion at a lower cost while allowing more long-term care projects to proceed across B.C.
For local advocates, the delay means continued uncertainty for families planning the care of aging relatives.
The province said the project remains in its plans. What remains unclear is when those plans will turn into construction.
