Applications are now open for the Simon Fraser University (SFU) school of medicine’s first class, which will begin at an interim location in August 2026.
It will be the first new medical school in Western Canada in nearly 60 years when it opens next summer at the SFU Surrey campus.
Eventually, it will call the neighbouring Centre Block tower in Surrey City Centre home, with the medical school set to occupy eight floors of the planned 12-storey building that is projected to be built by the early 2030s.
The future facility will include classrooms, clinical-skills spaces, research labs, administrative officers and support areas, along with an outpatient clinic that will deliver healthcare for Surrey residents while providing practical and accessible experience for students.
According to the Province, SFU’s new school of medicine is “designed specifically to address BC’s urgent need for primary-care physicians.”
"The new state-of-the-art SFU medical school, along with the new Surrey hospital and BC Cancer Centre, will make this city a hub of innovative, high-quality health care,” said Premier David Eby.
“This is just one way our government is improving health care in British Columbia and helping more people find a family doctor close to home."
Meanwhile, Jessie Sunner, BC’s minister of post-secondary education and future skills, called it a “historic moment” for Surrey.
"It is more than a medical school, it's an investment in our people, our city and our province," Sunner explained.
“By training the next generation of family doctors right here in our community, and creating an outpatient clinic to support training and service delivery, we're ensuring that more families have access to the care they need, closer to home."
The first class of doctors at the SFU school of medicine will be 48 students, but the cohort is expected to increase every year until it reaches 120 students by 2035.
Construction on the permanent school within Centre Block is on track to begin in late 2026 and it’s hoped it will be ready for students by fall 2030.
