B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said the departure of Jim Sinclair as the board chair of Fraser Health Authority should not be read as a "lack of confidence" in his abilities. 

"He has done an incredible job at leading the organization for the last seven years," Osborne said. Osborne's ministry announced Sinclair's departure Monday morning as the province launched its review of health authorities, starting with the Provincial Health Services Authority. 

The provincial government appointed Sinclair in September 2017. He has been the object of growing criticism from the provincial opposition, most recently from the Conservative Party of B.C. and health-care providers in the region, which Fraser Health administers. The health authority includes the soon-to-be-largest city in British Columbia, Surrey, as well as other fast-growing communities like Langley, where residents have been waiting up to 18 hours for emergency room care, according to critics.

Those critics include Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford, who has been calling for Sinclair's dismissal. 

"The NDP have chosen to put one of their biggest political insiders at the helm of Fraser Health, and the results have been absolutely disastrous," Halford said earlier this month in alluding to Sinclair's former role as head of the B.C. Federation of Labour from 1999 to 2015.

Sinclair also received criticism for his role in the sudden departure of former chief executive officer Victoria Lee last month. 

Osborne described Sinclair's departure as part of a natural renewal process, adding that it was her decision to keep Sinclair for another three months beyond his term, which was originally set to expire Dec. 31, 2025.

"When I was appointed the new Minister of Health late last year, I asked Jim to extend his term, which had up Dec. 31 for an additional three months, to support my transition into the role. He retires today from this position after completing that extension to his term."

Osborne added that current vice-chair Opreet Kang will serve as an interim chair.

Sinclair, in a Fraser Health press release, expressed his "immense respect and gratitude" to the Fraser Health executive team and its health-care workers.

鈥淗ealth-care systems across the country are facing big challenges right now 鈥� and Fraser Health is no exception. But I am very proud of the work we have accomplished together during my time as board chair over the past seven-and-a-half years,鈥� he said in the release. 鈥淔rom navigating the COVID-19 pandemic to taking action to hire more health-care workers and address current health system challenges and moving forward on true reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, the board has worked in partnership with our community partners, the Fraser Health executive, the Ministry of Health towards our shared goal of a responsive, resilient health system that will support Fraser Health communities for many years to come.鈥�

More to come.