Registered Nurse

Vancouver Liberals oppose secure care plan for old St. Paul's site bought for $1 billion. Vancouver mayoral candidate Kareem Allam launched a campaign on Sept. 28 against a proposal to put a secure treatment facility on part of the old St. Paul's Hospital campus, Daily Hive reported. Developer Concord Pacific acquired the 6.6-acre Burrard Street property for about $1 billion in 2020. Allam, who leads the Vancouver Liberals, is urging voters to reject both questions in the advisory public safety plebiscite on the Oct. 17 civic ballot. The party has no affiliation with the federal or provincial parties of the same name. Interim use of a redevelopment site. Mayor Ken Sim's ABC Vancouver party wants the City to ask the Province to convert part of the campus, or a similar site, into a facility with voluntary care and more than 100 involuntary care beds. ABC sees it as a temporary use lasting several years after Providence Health Care moves to the new hospital in the False Creek Flats, which begins receiving patients in 2027. Concord Pacific bought the site for a high-density, mixed-use redevelopment, with the proceeds helping to pay for the new hospital. Daily Hive reported that construction could still be a decade away because of weak housing demand. The developer has not prepared a master plan or filed a rezoning application, and it has said it would discuss temporary uses with governments. The old buildings already have room for more than 70 beds of this kind. Concord has also extended Providence's lease beyond 2027 for researchers, because the new research building at the False Creek Flats campus will not be finished until 2029. Allam's objections. Allam said he supports involuntary care in some circumstances but opposes the downtown location, between Davie Village and the Central Business District. He also pointed to the potential capital cost of adapting the buildings, even for temporary use. Asked for an alternative site in Vancouver, he said he knew of none suitable for a facility of that size. He suggested the plan could amount to a bailout for Concord Pacific, arguing the land was bought before the real estate downturn. In a Vancouver Liberals press release, Allam said the mayor was offering land the City does not own. He said the site should be used for housing, businesses and public spaces. Dr. Moira Stilwell, a physician, former BC Liberal cabinet minister and Vancouver Liberals council candidate, said she has worked at St. Paul's for more than 30 years. She cited a Providence review that found earthquake vulnerabilities in parts of the campus. She also said the layout cannot provide the share of single-patient rooms that modern secure units aim for, and that upkeep is increasingly costly. Plebiscite and provincial role. The result of the plebiscite is advisory. Allam said in the release that it would not create a treatment bed, since the Province would have to deliver any facility. He proposes a formal agreement among the City, the Province and Ottawa on mental health, addiction, housing and public safety. Premier David Eby announced two involuntary care facilities elsewhere in B.C. this past summer. The Province will spend $149 million converting a former addiction recovery facility in Surrey and a former youth corrections facility in Prince George into 132 beds in total, opening in phases between late 2027 and late 2028. ABC's proposal has support from Downtown Van, the local business improvement association, as well as the BC Schizophrenia Society and addictions researcher Dr. Julian Somers.

Providence healthcare Mission Awards recognizes Lorri johnson. Each year, Providence Health Care recognizes the excellence and dedication of select staff members at the Providence Health Care's Long Service and Mission Awards Recognition Dinner. Held at the Wall Centre in downtown Vancouver, the event is a gathering built around gratitude, connection and shared purpose. Throughout the night, members of PHC's Senior Leadership Team presented the Mission Awards - peernominated honours that spotlight individuals, teams, and projects who lead with Providence's Mission, Vision, and Values. These awards recognize those who inspire others not through grand gestures, but through the steady, everyday work of uplifting colleagues, innovating thoughtfully, and improving patient and resident care. It was within this spirit that Lorri was named the recipient of the Keeping the Promise Award, which celebrates those who embody Providence's dedication to social justice and compassionate care. Lorri's nomination made clear why her name rose to the top. As the music therapist at Youville Residences (a long-term care facility and special care unit) since 2005, she encapsulates the mission and values of PHC perfectly. Her interactions with residents are marked by honesty, empathy, and a rare kind of gentleness that immediately creates safety and dignity. Rather than offering music as a prescription, Lorri extends it as an invitation - empowering residents to participate in their own health and wellbeing, and to feel seen, heard, and included. Even with limited hours, she consistently goes above and beyond, designing programs that reflect both deep clinical insight and remarkable musicality. Every chord, every conversation, every shared moment is intentional. She embodies the very best of what music therapy can be in longterm care. Lorri's recognition was not just a celebration of her work, but a reflection of the values she helps keep alive within Providence. Her presence, her practice, and her unwavering commitment to residents remind everyone what it looks like to keep the promise at the heart of PHC.