Following months of turmoil within Interior Health and public calls for leadership change, BC Conservative MLA Gavin Dew says he’s “choosing to be optimistic” about the appointment of Sylvia Weir as the permanent President and CEO of the health authority — but he’s also making it clear that expectations are high and patience is limited.
Weir, who had been serving as interim CEO since June 27 following the removal of Susan Brown, was officially named to the position on a permanent basis last week. Dew, who represents Kelowna-Mission and has been one of the most vocal critics of Interior Health leadership, described the move as a long-overdue reset. “It’s been clear for a long time that we needed a reset in Interior Health,” Dew said in an interview with Radio NL. “And we needed to have the internal culture and confidence rebuilt. I’m choosing to be optimistic that Ms. Weir is going to be able to deliver on that change, but I’ll certainly be watching closely.”
Dew’s calls for change earlier this year were blunt, stating that Interior Health had “lost the confidence” of both staff and the public. The tipping point came with the sudden closure of the pediatric unit at Kelowna General Hospital — one of several service disruptions across the Southern Interior.
Now, with Weir at the helm, Dew says he appreciates the early signs of outreach and communication but cautions that “words aren’t enough.”
“It’s perfectly reasonable for people to be skeptical,” he said. “I’m heartened by what I’ve seen in terms of her intention to do more internal and external engagement. But we need to see serious change — not just in approach, but in leadership style.”
Weir, for her part, has emphasized relationship-building and collaboration as key pillars of her leadership. In an interview with Radio NL, she said her priority is to set a new course for the organization through open communication and stronger local leadership, particularly in rural communities that have faced repeated ER closures and staffing shortages. “I intend to help set a new course for the health authority,” said Weir. “I’ve done a lot of visiting and listening, and I’m really excited to work alongside our medical staff and community leaders to address the unique needs of each region.”
While Dew acknowledged having a direct and candid conversation with Weir during her interim tenure, he also made it clear that results need to come quickly — especially given her status as an internal hire with existing knowledge of the system. “The double-edged sword of being an internal hire is that you know the system,” Dew said. “But that also means the expectation is that you get down to work quickly and people in the system and the public can see results very soon.”
Among Dew’s immediate priorities are better communication with municipal and provincial leaders, addressing human resource challenges, and stabilizing services across the region. “We need to end these ongoing closures that destabilize public confidence,” he said. “We also need to fix the staffing crisis and make sure people in the system aren’t being burned out. It’s time to rebuild a culture that attracts and retains healthcare workers.”
The coming months will be a critical test of Weir’s leadership and the province’s ability to follow through on promises to fix a healthcare system in crisis. Dew says he’s ready to work collaboratively — but he’s also prepared to hold both Interior Health and the Ministry of Health to account.
