The information below provides a brief review of why the City established the Colwood Clinic, how the Provincial funding model works, progress toward connecting Colwood residents with a family doctor, and how start-up costs are funded as the Clinic moves through planned stages to achieve self-sufficiency and repay start-up costs to the City.
- The City of Colwood opened the Colwood Clinic in January 2025.
- With a population of approximately 23,000 people, Colwood found itself with zero family physicians offering care in the community. When 69 per cent of Colwood residents identified having a family doctor as their highest priority in the 2023 Life in Colwood Survey, Colwood Council took action.
- Colwood Council and staff worked with the Ministry of Health, Island Health, and other partners to establish a municipal health care model.
- The City leases clinic space in the Pure Pharmacy at Royal Bay Commons and recruits family physicians as municipal employees.
- Working within the Provincial funding model will allow the Clinic to operate without ongoing municipal funding once the Clinic operates at a surplus (estimated 2028).
- Physicians assign payment for their services to the Colwood Clinic, the Province provides payment to the Clinic, and the municipality uses that revenue to pay doctors as employees with pension and benefits.
- The business case for this complex new medical health clinic did not anticipate all start up costs. Start up costs have been supported with existing City reserve funding. The Clinic will commence repaying reserves once profitable (estimated by 2028).
- The model is designed to allow physicians to focus on patient care while the City manages clinic administration – Finance, Payroll, Human Resources, IT, Communications, etc.
- City roles in these areas expanded to take on Clinic administration within existing budgets.
Colwood Clinic Financial Snapshot
| 2024 Actual | 2025 Actual | 2026 Projected | 2027 Projected | 2028 Projected | |
| Number of Doctors | 0 | 2 | 4 (Sep 2026) | 6 | 8 |
| Number of Patients | 0 | 1,185 | 2,355 (Sep 2026) | 7,500 | 10,000 |
| Operating Expenses (Physicians, support staff, lease, operating costs, 2024 special initiative) | $105,004 | $945,418 | $1,823,800 | $2,766,600 | $3,538,400 |
| Revenue (MSP billing, contract payments, WorkSafe BC, ICBC) | 0 | $400,943 | $1,516,600 | $2,684,600 | $3,615,900 |
| Funding from Reserves | $105,004 | $544,475 | $307,200 | $82,000 | ($77,500) |
Colwood residents who are without a family doctor should ensure they are registered with the BC Health Connect Registry for attachment to the Colwood Clinic as capacity becomes available.
Get all the details at www.colwoodclinic.ca
Media contact
Sandra Russell, Communications Manager
srussell@colwood.ca
Find this release online at www.colwood.ca/News
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