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BC Budget 2026: What It Means for Hospice & Palliative Care
A sector briefing and panel discussion unpacking the provincial budget and exploring how it may shape hospice societies and community-based palliative and end-of-life care services across British Columbia.
Please join the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association for a timely conversation exploring the key takeaways of BC Budget 2026 for hospice and palliative care services across the province.
This one hour webinar will begin with a concise overview of the provincial budget and the broader fiscal context affecting health care and community based services. The session will then transition into a moderated panel discussion with hospice leaders and clinicians who will share their perspectives on how the current funding environment may shape planning, service delivery, and sustainability for hospice organizations and palliative care providers.
Panelists will reflect on:
✔ Initial reactions to Budget 2026 and what it signals for the sector
✔ How hospice and palliative care organizations are planning for the next one to three years in a context of fiscal restraint
✔ Key messages for decision makers about the value of hospice and palliative care, and the role of community based services in supporting patients, families, and the health system
Purpose of the Session
This webinar is intended to create space for hospice leaders, clinicians, and partners to reflect on how Budget 2026 may influence hospice and palliative care services across British Columbia. The session is designed for hospice society leaders, palliative care practitioners, community partners, health authority planners, invited government representatives, and members of the public interested in understanding the broader policy and funding landscape affecting hospice and community care.
Insights from the panel discussion and participant dialogue will help inform BCHPCA’s sector analysis and recommendations, which may be shared with provincial partners, including the Ministry of Health and other system leaders.
Forums such as this bring the hospice and palliative care sector together to share knowledge, strengthen collective advocacy, and contribute to system improvement. This work is not funded. If you value opportunities like this, please consider making a donation to support future sector conversations and advocacy efforts.
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Wednesday, March 25
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9:30 - 10:30 AM (PST)
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Online Webinar
Confirmed panelists include:
- Andrea Critchley, Executive Director, Abbotsford Hospice Society
Representing one of the largest non residential hospice societies in the region, Andrea will bring an urban leadership perspective on service growth, system partnerships, and operational sustainability within diverse funding models. She will reflect on the growing role of hospice societies in providing mental health and psychosocial supports.
- Jen Asselin, Program Coordinator, Elk Valley & Area Hospice
Offering a rural and remote community perspective on access to care, Jen will speak to the realities of volunteer-driven service delivery across large geographic areas and the coordination challenges faced by small communities. She will highlight the importance of community education and locally responsive approaches, as well as the vital role volunteers and community supports play in sustaining hospice access.
- Dr. Christine Jones, Medical Director, Victoria Hospice Society
Bringing a clinical system lens, Dr. Jones will reflect on access to care and the integration of hospice services across home, acute, and long term care settings. She will highlight the value of home hospice models for frail seniors and end of life planning, and how community hospice care supports provider capacity and contributes to system efficiency and cost avoidance
Facilitated by Pablita Thomas, Executive Director of BCHPCA
Providing a provincial systems lens on policy, funding trends, and collective sector advocacy.
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