British ColumbiaOfficials in Oliver, B.C., broke ground on land that will be used as modular housing for health-care workers. The South Okanagan General Hospital experienced 30 closures this year alone.The modular homes will be built in Oliver by March 2026, after dozens of ER closures at nearby hospitalTiffany Goodwein · CBC News · Posted: Nov 28, 2025 7:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 3 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Representatives from the Town of Oliver, Interior Health and the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation broke ground on land that will be used for modular housing for health-care workers. (Tiffany Goodwein/CBC)A small community in B.C’s South Okanagan region is hoping housing will be part of the solution when it comes to keeping their emergency room open. The town of Oliver, B.C., located approximately 35 kilometres south of Penticton, held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for modular housing units meant for health-care workers. The modular units will be able to house four people, and will be built near Sunnybank Centre, a long-term care facility in the community. Officials hope that the two-bedroom homes will help attract health-care workers to come work at the nearby South Okanagan General Hospital either permanently or on a temporary basis. “This is really going to help people come from a lot further away — whether it is from northern B.C, or Alberta, or internationally, it is really going to help us attract those kinds of people where we haven’t been able to before,” said Oliver Mayor Martin Johansen. Service disruptions at South Okanagan General Hospital has been a big issue for the small community of about 5,000 people. The emergency room also serves nearby communities like the town of Osoyoos. This year alone, the hospital faced 30 closures, according to Interior Health — diverting patients to the next closest hospital in Penticton around a 40-kilometre drive away.Johansen said the ER closures create a domino effect in the region. “If you got an emergency and you need care immediately, and Penticton is your only option, you have to phone an ambulance — which pulls an ambulance out of our community, and then there are people waiting for an ambulance to come back,” the mayor said.The South Okanagan General Hospital has faced numerous closures over the past several years, largely because of a shortage of doctors. (Tiffany Goodwein/CBC )Many of those service disruptions took place this past summer. From June to September, the hospital experienced 15 closures. An Interior Health official hopes the homes will help stabilize emergency services in the area.WATCH | Paramedics warn of ER closures during holiday season:Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. raises alarm about ER closures before holiday seasonAs the busy holiday season approaches, the paramedics’ union in B.C. says there have been over 100 emergency room closures this year. Union spokesperson Ian Tait says the trend of ER closures, including in urban areas, leads to paramedics being forced to transport patients long distances and worsens health-care outcomes.“Oliver is a beautiful place to live and work — but during the peak tourist season, it is extremely difficult to find available housing for any of our travelling health-care providers,” said Madeline Csillag-Wong, executive director of clinical operations for Interior Health.”And so, by putting in the modular housing, we are able to ensure that people who come to Oliver for short stints will have a place to stay.”WATCH | Health minister pledges end to rural ER closures:B.C.’s new health minister pledges to fix emergency room closures in rural communitiesB.C.’s new health minister, Josie Osborne, has a big job ahead. She is trying to stop persistent emergency department closures that have plagued rural and remote communities. The CBC’s Katie DeRosa has more on the expectations for B.C.’s costliest ministry.While excitement for the homes is strong, many agree that it is only part of the solution.The South Okanagan Division of Family Practice helps recruit primary care providers throughout the region. The organization said more needs to be done to boost rural physician incentives and improve work-life balance.”Those physicians are on call for their patients, and really all services — whether it is in clinic, in hospital, in long-term care and in an emergency room, 24/7 really,” said executive director Tracy St. Claire. St. Claire said that any support a community demonstrates can make all the difference for physician recruitment. The new modular homes in Oliver are set to be built by March 2026. ABOUT THE AUTHORTiffany Goodwein is an award-winning journalist focused on covering Penticton and the south Okanagan area of British Columbia. She previously spent six years reporting in Alberta and is happy to be back home in B.C., where she grew up. You can contact her at tiffany.goodwein@cbc.ca
After ER closures, B.C community building modular housing for health-care workers
