Shuswap Healing Centre FAQ

The Shuswap Healing Centre is a facility for the community to access physical, mental, and other health services. Here, the Sicamous Community Health Centre (formerly the Sicamous Medical Clinic) and other allied health professionals will be housed within one building. Working in collaboration with Splatsin, physical, mental and health supports will be available to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous citizens within the region. The goal of this project is to build upon what already exists within the community to offer a greater spectrum of health and wellness services that are accessible and inclusive.

Primary patient care will be provided by family physicians at the Sicamous Community Health Centre.

Space will be available for health and wellness professionals to share their services with the community. The District will be releasing an expression of interest to attract proposals from healthcare professionals and an evaluation committee will be formed to review the submissions. More information regarding this formal process will be shared with the public. 

The District has engaged the Interior Health Authority; discussions are ongoing.

The following actions have been taken to explore community needs related to health and wellness:

• 2018-2020 – The Community Wellness Committee was formed and the Live More Live Well Strategy was developed.
• 2021 - Stakeholder engagement conducted with health-care practitioners, community group representatives, the Malakwa/Sicamous Interagency Committee and Splatsin representatives.
• 2023- Shuswap Healing Centre Working Group established. Members include Councillor Pam Beech, Councillor Ian Baillie, chief administrative officer Kelly Bennett and Sicamous Community Health Centre manager Karen Eastland.

Construction of the project is 78 per cent grant funded.

The District has secured $5.9M from the Rural and Northern Communities Fund of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and $300K from the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. District capital reserves are also being utilized for construction costs. Funding for equipment is being pursued through the Shuswap Hospital Foundation and the District will utilize the Canada-Community Building Fund for greenspace enhancement.

The current budget for the building has been prepared conservatively, with savings opportunities already being realized. After construction drawings have been completed, a Class A estimate will be presented to council. The District continues to explore grants and other external revenue sources for the operation of the Shuswap Healing Centre. Since the centre will be used by residents from outside of Sicamous, the District is working to secure agreements for contributions from the outside areas.

A reserve will be established by the District for the future replacement cost of the building and a portion of rental income will be set aside in the reserve.

The cost of building operations will be offset by the rental income generated through lease agreements with building tenants. The District has engaged the Interior Health Authority (IHA) to offer its services from this location and is discussing the opportunity with IHA staff. The District is also preparing an expression of interest to attract building tenants and will accept proposals from allied health professionals.

The District is committed to stewardship and investment in municipal infrastructure. This is why municipal assets are at the heart of council’s strategic plan.

The District has several funding avenues for infrastructure projects, including capital reserves, provincial and federal grants as well as grants from other funding agencies and the collection of development cost charges. The District received $1.73 million in March from the province’s Growing Communities Fund, which has been put in a separate reserve and will be allocated to important capital projects.

Every year, the District allocates over $1 million to water, sewer and general capital reserves and an asset management plan is being developed as we forecast for the future. Current budgeted capital contributions are as follows:

• $620k General Capital Reserves
• $198k Water Capital Reserves
• $128k Sewer Capital Reserves
• $450k Current Capital Expenditures

Total of $1.396 Million

No, 200 Main Street is not a designated park. The property was previously zoned Commercial Town Centre and is now zoned P-5 Healing Centre based on District of Sicamous Zoning Bylaw No. 1000, 2022. 

The District acquired the 1.5-acre parcel in 2015 and it has remained a vacant lot. In the October 5, 2015 News Release about the property purchase, it states that the purchase was for “strategic opportunities related to long-term objectives for community planning.”

Designated parks are identified in the District of Sicamous Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 393, 2000.

No. The Shuswap Healing Centre will not be an addictions or rehab centre. However, patients facing addiction issues will be able to access physician care and referrals for additional support as they do now. Residential treatment for addictions is primarily provided by private facilities in the region. The Shuswap Healing Centre will not be providing residential addiction treatment.

Further, there will be no overnight stays of any kind for patients at the Shuswap Healing Centre. The term "Health Stay Suites" is in reference to accommodations for allied health professionals. Provision of Health Stay Suites will reduce the cost of providing accommodations to travelling medical professionals, that would otherwise be borne by the District. These suites, may, however, be used for patients for day use only if the health care provider deems it necessary. 

In 2018, the District received funding from the Plan H Grant (BC Healthy Communities) to develop a community wellness plan and in 2019, a Community Wellness Committee (CWC)—comprised of eight community group representatives—was formed and conducted numerous engagement events and workshops . The resulting “Live More Live Well Strategy” was created to “consider the critical and interconnected role our Social, Economic, Natural and Built environments” and “foster a strong and healthy community where all individuals can reach their full potential.” The project supports guiding principles for community growth and priorities included in the Official Community Plan including: Town Centre Revitalization, Encourage and Enhance Community Beautification, Encourage, Enhance and Develop Community Connectivity, Encourage Age Diversity, Expand and Improve Municipal Infrastructure, Enhance and Preserve the Natural Environment, Promote Commercial and Marine Development, Encourage Economic Development and Diversify the Economy, Encourage and Support Attainable Housing.

In 2018, the District of Sicamous applied to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program - Rural and Northern Communities Program for the Shuswap Healing Centre in partnership and collaboration with Splatsin to provide regional health and wellness services based on inclusivity and accessibility. The project fulfills a core outcome of the RNC Program: “Improved education and/or health facilities (specific to Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action) as well as additional outcomes, including Community, Culture and Recreation Outcomes and Green Infrastructure. The Shuswap Healing Centre will be owned by Sicamous taxpayers and operated by the District of Sicamous in conjunction with our partner— Splatsin. The Shuswap Healing Centre addresses Calls to Action 21, 22 and 23 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. The project also supports the Protocol Agreement signed with Splatsin which represents our joint commitment to future cooperation and support on projects with mutual objectives for the betterment of our communities.

District of Sicamous Actions towards Truth and Reconciliation:

• 2014: The Splatsin and District signed a Protocol Agreement to foster a government-to-government relationship and communicate and cooperate with one another “based on the fundamental underlying principles of trust, honesty and mutual respect.”
• 2018: Signing of the Communications Agreement between the Shuswap Local and Secwépemc governments to establish long-term cooperative government-to-government relationships and open communication.
• 2019: The Splatsin, City of Enderby and District of Sicamous signed the Friendship Accord further bonding government-to-government relations as three communities, one heart.

The District is committed to an open dialogue with the public and will provide future updates for the Shuswap Healing Centre through our website. You are also encouraged to attend public meetings where the project will be discussed. Public meeting agendas are posted in advance of a meeting. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to chief administrative officer Kelly Bennett at 250-836-5262.

As construction of the Shuswap Healing Centre moves forward, there will be ongoing communication with the community. The public is encouraged to subscribe to the Shuswap (Secwépemc) Healing Centre newsletter and receive project updates directly.

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