The Burnaby Hospital Foundation says it was blindsided to learn in last month’s provincial budget that the years-long redevelopment of Burnaby Hospital is being delayed.

The budget describes the delay as a repacing, positioning it within the context of a record-breaking deficit for B.C., which is forecast at $11.7 billion for next year.

Kristy James, the foundation’s president and CEO, says nobody had reached out to them, and they had no reason to think the project was in jeopardy.

“We’ve been working on the plans, we’ve been fundraising for the past five years, we’re over $25 million raised already for specifically the phase two,” she said.

“We’ve been waiting for shovels in the ground. No warning.”

James says this has left them in limbo, and they desperately need to know when the province expects the project to start back up. She says she’s worried that without clarity, major donors who are making the project possible might back out.

She says the redevelopment is crucial for the city.

“Us going into 2030 when we’re going to be serving a population of 700,000 and more and still 280-something beds, it’s just not going to meet the needs that we will have,” James said.

“It doesn’t meet the needs we have now.”

The foundation is calling on the province to confirm that phase two will proceed as approved and provide a construction start date.

1130 NewsRadio has reached out to the provincial government for comment.