The funding, drawn from development-linked amenity contributions, will help equip the new Primrose Medical Centre without raising local taxes.
QUALICUM BEACH, B.C. — The Town of Qualicum Beach has authorized $400,000 to help purchase medical equipment for a new primary care clinic set to open in the community this fall.
Town council, in partnership with the Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation, approved the funding for the Primrose Medical Centre, to be located at 661 Primrose St. The town said the money will help establish a fully equipped medical centre, supporting efforts to recruit and retain family physicians and improve access to primary care locally.
The funding comes from Community Amenity Contributions collected through the rezoning and development of the Shelter Ridge subdivision at 850 Eaglecrest Dr. and 2075 Island Hwy. W. Health care initiatives had already been identified as the intended use for those contributions, meaning the allocation results in no tax increase for residents.
The Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation will purchase the equipment through a partnering agreement with the town.
Dr. Kelly Hadfield, the incoming medical director for Primrose Medical Centre, has played a significant role in planning the new facility’s operations. Hadfield also works with the Qualicum Beach Medical Clinic and the Qualicum First Nation Medical Walk-in Clinic.
Hadfield said the new model is intended to bring family doctors and specialist care closer to home for area residents.
How to Register
New patients will be assigned to Primrose Medical Centre through the BC Health Connect Registry as more family physicians join the clinic. Residents can check their registry status or update their information through HealthLink BC, either online or by calling 8-1-1.
According to the Mid-Island Health Alliance, a local non-profit advocating for expanded primary care access, Primrose Medical Centre is expected to open this fall.
The funding adds to a broader push to address primary care shortages on the mid-Island, where local health advocacy groups have highlighted long-standing gaps in access to family doctors. Qualicum Beach’s use of development-linked amenity contributions to fund health infrastructure reflects a financing approach increasingly used by municipalities facing similar pressures, allowing councils to direct growth-related revenue toward community health priorities without adding to the local tax base.
