Fraser Canyon Hospital

The establishment of a hospital was a political issue in the 1950s, escalated by the 1956 Slesse Mountain airplane crash that killed all 62 people on board. Efforts and assets by the local Medical Clinic Association to set up a privately operated facility were transferred to the Hope Hospital Association to build and operate a government-backed hospital. Area MLA Irvine Finlay Corbett of the British Columbia Social Credit Party was an advocate but died in his own air crash prior to the opening of the hospital.^[4]

Health Minister Eric Martin officially opened FCH on January 10, 1959. The 20-bed hospital was complete with delivery and operating rooms.^[5] In 2001, its governance transferred from the Fraser Valley Health Region to the newly created and larger Fraser Health Authority as part of a province-wide restructuring of health authorities.

The hospital is supported by the Fraser Valley Healthcare Foundation and by the Auxiliary to the Fraser Canyon Hospital and Fraser Hope Lodge which operates gift shops in both facilities.