December 9, 2024, Courtenay, BC – Brennan Day, MLA for Courtenay-Comox and Critic for Seniors Health & Rural Health, is calling on Health Minister Josie Osborne and Island Health (VIHA) to address critical gaps in the planning and funding of the Wheels for Wellness contract. The lack of foresight and inadequate financial support is placing an immense burden on a non-profit organization that has served Vancouver Island residents for nearly three decades.
“Wheels for Wellness drives over 1.75 million kilometres per year, with a fuel budget exceeding $900,000,” said Brennan Day. “The contract offered by Island Health didn’t even cover fuel costs, let alone the expenses of dispatch and office operations. This is an organization that relies on an exclusively volunteer driving staff that already operates as efficiently as possible. Asking a non-profit to fundraise over $600,000 to subsidize the government’s lack of planning and proper fiscal management is not just unreasonable— it’s irresponsible.”
For years, Wheels for Wellness has been a lifeline, ensuring seniors, low-income families, and rural residents can access critical medical appointments. Yet, VIHA’s current approach to negotiations fails to provide a smooth transition to an as-yet-unknown service provider. This disregard leaves vulnerable communities in limbo.
“This isn’t about just one service—it’s about the communities that depend on it,” Day emphasized. “VIHA and the Ministry of Health’s failure to adequately fund or plan for this transition has put the burden squarely on the shoulders of a volunteer-driven non-profit. This is a government-created crisis, and the responsibility to resolve it falls directly on Minister Osborne and Island Health leadership.”
Day is urging Minister Osborne to meet immediately with stakeholders, including Wheels for Wellness Executive Director Don Buchner, to ensure that this does not continue to negatively impact our most vulnerable. Buchner has expressed willingness to assist in a transition and continue providing dispatch services to bridge the gap if a sustainable plan is proposed and implemented.
“Instead of forcing a respected organization to shoulder the financial burden, we need real leadership from Island Health and the Ministry of Health,” added Day. “This means fully funding transportation services, ensuring continuity of care, and providing transparency on what’s next. Residents across Vancouver Island deserve answers and action—not lip service and uncertainty.”
Key Facts:
- Wheels for Wellness drives over 1.75 million kilometres annually getting rural Island residents to and from critical medical appointments.
- The organization’s fuel budget exceeds $900,000 per year.
- The current VIHA contract leaves a $600,000+ funding gap, forcing the non-profit to subsidize government shortfalls through a shrinking pot of donor funds.
- Wheels for Wellness operates with a fully volunteer driving staff, operating 11 vehicles (down from 20), maximizing efficiency while keeping
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Media Contact: Brennan Day MLA for Courtenay-Comox, Critic for Seniors Health & Rural Health Brennan.Day.MLA@leg.bc.ca