New health centre opens in Kamloops with the goal of connecting 4K people to a family doctor

A new health centre has opened on the North Shore with the goal of connecting over 4,000 people without a family doctor to a primary-care provider.

The new centre is being operated by Supporting Team Excellence with Patients Society (STEPS), a non-profit society that’s been operating in the Thompson region since 2017.

Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, said the centre is expected to facilitate more than 30,000 patient visits per year.

Once fully operational, STEPS North Sore Community Health Centre, located at 202B-780 Windsor Ave, will provide comprehensive primary care that will connect 4,300 people with a provider.

The province has committed more than $4 million in annual operating funding and one-time start up funds.

Since May 15, 2025, which is when the CHC opened, STEPS has hired 0.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) family physician, one FTE registered nurse, one FTE mental-health therapist, 0.8 FTE community-health worker and one FTE executive director.

It is currently interviewing for additional clinical positions.

“The STEPS North Shore Community Health Centre brings us closer to our goal of providing everyone in B.C. the high-quality health care they need, when and where they need it,” said Osborne.

Colin O’Leary, president, STEPS, said the new health centre will expand the existing network of care and enhance primary-car services for underserved populations in the community.

“STEPS is focused on strengthening long-term relationships between patients and health-care providers,” said O’Leary.

“These relationships have been shown to improve health outcomes, help avoid preventable illness and reduce the cost of health care.”

Once fully operational, the health centre will have about 13 health-care working, including two family physicians, three nurse practitioners, two to three registered nurses, one licensed practical nurse, three social works and community-health workers, one physiotherapist as well as an executive director and support staff.

The goal is to operate the health centre six days a week, including some morning and/or evening hours.

^{Thumbnail photo credit: STEPS file picture}