Before the Colleen Schneider Medical Centre opened its doors in July of 2025, it was known simply as the CWIC project (short for Community Walk-In Clinic). The working title happened to sound like “quick,” an apt description for a project that moved rapidly from concept to a fully operating facility through strong collaboration among many partners and supporters.

Through donor matching, capital grants, and the SOS Community Primary Care Clinics Fund, the Foundation contributed $630,000 to help make the centre a reality. That investment is already having a clear impact on residents across the region.

Since its opening, the centre has attached 843 people to a family doctor. The walk-in clinic has also become an essential service, welcoming more than 5,000 unique patients and seeing a 70% increase in use compared to the former Apple Plaza location. With scheduled walk-in times replacing long waits, patients are receiving care more quickly and with greater certainty.

The clinic has also removed a critical barrier for youth on the autism spectrum. Each month, two to three young people can now access the general practitioner intake required for South Okanagan Assessment Program (SOAP) assessments—support that was previously delayed due to limited access.

A key to the centre’s success has been its ability to attract new physicians. Under the clinic’s management model, the SOS Healthcare Society oversees operations, allowing doctors to focus on patient care rather than business administration. This balance of independence and operational support has already attracted five new physicians to the community, strengthening long-term access to primary care.

The Colleen Schneider Medical Centre came together through the efforts of contractors, architects, clinical leaders, funders, and nonprofit partners united by a shared goal. With funds raised quickly by the Society, the SOS Medical Foundation, Community Futures of the SOS, and the Community Foundation, renovations were completed in just six months. The clinic is now full every day and has already sparked conversations about future expansion of the model into other communities.

This project demonstrates what is possible when community generosity and partnerships align. Because of supporters like you, thousands of residents can now access care more quickly, reliably, and close to home.