The B.C. government marked a milestone this week with a groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited Kamloops Cancer Centre. But local MLA Peter Milobar says the celebration is premature — and potentially misleading.

Milobar, the B.C. Conservative MLA for Kamloops-Centre, said the project is still missing key approvals, including a building permit, and the cost has already ballooned by $30 million before full construction has even begun.

“It feels like they’re doing this so that people will stop demanding that it actually be built properly and make it sound like it’s past the point of no return,” Milobar said. “It’s not — not until they actually start building the third story on that building.”

At the heart of Milobar’s criticism is the absence of a PET CT scanner, a diagnostic tool that regional mayors and First Nations leaders have repeatedly called for. The current design excludes the scanner, and Milobar argues that future expansion will be difficult or impossible due to the centre’s planned structure — two clinical floors with three levels of parking stacked above.

“The problem is they don’t have the physical space for it in the design they have,” he said. “They have no way of expanding that building in the future or adding a floor because they’re putting the parking above the clinical space.”

Despite not being officially invited, Milobar attended the groundbreaking on Thursday and used the opportunity to press cabinet ministers on-site. He was also one of five Opposition MLAs who sent a letter to Premier David Eby calling for a design overhaul.

Indications are that actual construction won’t begin until October, with excavation continuing through the winter. Milobar believes this provides a window for changes.

“By the time they get this site prepped for footings for a parkade, they could have this footprint redesigned with the extra floor, and there’s almost no time lost in construction,” he said.

Milobar said he remains committed to pushing for a fully equipped cancer centre: “I have no intention of stopping.”

The calls for the inclusion of a PET CT scanner from the opposition date back years. But even in recent history the push has been on. In 2024 then Kamloops area MLA Todd Stone was right in line with Milorbar. Even earlier this year, Milobar made it clear that this was something the community wanted. The NDP has rejected those calls.

Dirt trucked in because no earth works permit yet, in fact no geo tech work on site until Oct this year. Also have completely ignored Mayors, Chiefs and Oncologists from region wanting Centre to be built to same standard as all others in BC. But yeah a nice photo op I guess 🤷‍♂️ https://t.co/UV3ZR60R3R

— Peter Milobar (@PeterMilobar) July 25, 2025