KGH Foundation launches $2.5 million campaign for emergency department

The KGH Foundation is raising $2.5 million to improve Kelowna General Hospital’s Emergency Department – the final phase of its $40 million Closer to Home Than You Think campaign.

The department saw 101,089 visits in 2024–25, making it B.C.’s second-busiest after Surrey Memorial Hospital and busier than some large urban hospitals. Current facilities include one registration desk and two triage stations. Visits have increased 84 per cent since 2012, creating bottlenecks that affect patient flow and staff efficiency.

Planned upgrades include expanded triage, redesigned registration, mobile registration, improved waiting areas, a dedicated ECG room, and two mobile ultrasounds. Waiting areas will also get new furniture and culturally welcoming features.

Allison Young, CEO of the KGH Foundation, said philanthropy allows the hospital to act quickly when government funding can’t. Dr. Geoff Sanz, head of the department, praised staff for maintaining care under growing pressure.

The Give Where It Matters Most campaign launches today. Donations made on KGH Day of Giving, May 13, will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $550,000.