Former B.C. premier John Horgan announces he will resign on St. Patrick's Day

Former premier John Horgan says he will make his resignation official effective Friday, St. Patrick's Day.

The MLA for Langford-Juan De Fucawas in Sooke to talk about a new integrated health-care centre for the community when he made the announcement.

"I'm going to submit it tomorrow, my letter of resignation to SpeakerRaj Chouhan and my last day is March 31st," Horgan said.

Horgan and Vancouver-Mount Pleasant MLA Melanie Mark announced they would be leaving their political posts by the end of March, giving the province up to six months to call a byelection in their ridings.

Health Minister Adrian Dix, who has worked with Horgan for decades, joined him at the news conference located on the emptysite of the new facility at6671 Wadams Way.

Horgan said people living in the area have had to travel out of the community to seek services.

"This centre will be critical to meeting the health-care needs of people living in Sooke and surrounding areas, now and in the future, and I am proud that people in the region will soon benefit from being able to access the care they need, close to home."

Dix called the project "unique" and saidthe model will offer team-based care that includesfamily physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, mental health and substance use workers and otherallied health providers.

"So on the site, you have a family practice clinic, a community health centre that provides lots of community health services and then beside it, you have an urgent and primary care centre," he said.

The ministry is also providing funding for an Indigenous cultural safety liaison while planning is underway.

"You'll see this model in many more places as we go forward," said Dix.

However, concerns are being raised over staffing as the province grapples with a shortage of doctors and nurses.

The facility is expected to open in 2025.