A million more B.C. residents have a doctor, but 20 per cent of population needs one

SURREY — The B.C. government says a million more people have been connected to a family doctor or nurse practitioner since 2018 when the government began a plan to get more people primary care.

Premier David Eby says having a family doctor or nurse practitioner is one of the most important foundations of good health.

However, about 20 per cent of B.C.’s population doesn’t have a doctor and the government says it’s working on training, recruiting and retaining more primary care providers.

As of last year, B.C.’s population was estimated at nearly 5.7 million people, making 20 per cent just over 1.1 million people.

Eby made the comments at Simon Fraser University in Surrey where the first group of 48 students started class this year at B.C.’s new medical school.

The B.C. government launched a system in 2023 to match patients with primary care providers and more than 320,000 people are registered to be matched with a doctor.

Health Minister Ravi Kahlon says connecting a million people to primary care is a milestone for the system and the government is working to ensure people get the care they need, when they need it and closer to home.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2026.