File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Doctor Shortage

Kamloops looks to Colwood for municipally operated medical clinic model

May 6, 2025 | 5:20 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops council has asked staff to come up with a business case for a municipally owned and operated medical clinic.

Spearheaded by Councillor Kelly Hall, the idea is modelled after one launched by the City of Colwood on Vancouver Island that aims to recruit eight new doctors in a year.

Hall says Colwood’s model saw the municipality sift through more than 100 applications from prospective doctors.

“Recruitment is very, very competitive. You have to come up with an innovative, creative way to attract — and not only attract but also to retain doctors,” Hall told council Tuesday (May 6). “I think a program like this will do that.”

It’s estimated as many as 40,000 Kamloops residents are not attached to general practitioners.

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“There are a tremendous amount of synergies that can come to this community with a program like this,” added Hall. “It’s innovative, it’s creative and it’s a solution to bring doctors to our city — much needed.”

CFJC Today will have more on this story Wednesday.