The first moments of 2026 in British Columbia were marked by the joyful cries of newborns, as several families across the province welcomed the year's first babies. The earliest arrival made his entrance at Kelowna General Hospital, setting off a wave of New Year births in multiple health regions.
A Minute-by-Minute Welcome Across Health Regions
The provincial honour of first birth went to a baby at Kelowna General Hospital, who arrived at 12:18 a.m. on January 1, 2026. Weighing 6 pounds and 8 ounces, the child's parents have chosen to keep their names private. This marks the second year in a row that B.C.'s first baby was born in the Interior, following 2025's first arrival in Kamloops.
Shortly after, at 12:31 a.m., a baby girl weighing 7 pounds, 4.2 ounces was delivered at B.C. Women's Hospital in Vancouver. This birth secured the title of first baby for the Provincial Services Health Authority and the first in Metro Vancouver for the new year.
The Fraser Health region welcomed its first newborn at 12:53 a.m. at Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge. Baby Beckett, a boy weighing 8 pounds and 3 ounces, was born to parents Breanna and Pedro.
Families Share Their Joyous Moments
In Richmond, parents Haruna and Jian Suzuki experienced a memorable start to the year with the birth of the Vancouver Coastal Health region's first baby at 1:30 a.m. at Richmond General Hospital. The baby boy weighed 7 pounds, 11.6 ounces.
"We feel very happy that we were able to make our special day even more memorable," said Haruna Suzuki via email. Her husband, Jian, added, "I'm incredibly proud of my wife for being so strong. It was such a fulfilling and special moment."
Further north, in Terrace, the Molina family expanded significantly. Baby Molina, a girl weighing 7 pounds and 9 ounces, was born at 2:25 a.m. at Ksyen Regional Hospital. She is the first baby of 2026 in Northern Health's region and was welcomed by parents Chantel and Robert Molina, who also introduced her to four excited siblings: Robert, Maybelline, Alanna, and Alexander.
A Special Arrival on Vancouver Island
The first baby on Vancouver Island for 2026 arrived at Victoria General Hospital at 3:48 a.m. The baby boy, weighing 3 pounds and 1 ounce, is receiving care in the neonatal intensive care unit.
It is important to note that the First Nations Health Authority, which provides crucial pre- and postnatal maternity services to Indigenous communities, does not operate its own hospitals or maternity wards.
These newborns are the pioneering arrivals of an estimated 41,000 births expected across British Columbia in 2026. Each story, from the private celebration in Kelowna to the bustling Molina household in Terrace, adds a unique and heartwarming thread to the province's tapestry, reminding us of the hopeful new beginnings that each new year brings.
