July, 2020 – The BC government has announced $4.4M in new funding for post-secondary health care education programs for nurses, health care assistants, anesthesia assistants, and mental health and community support workers.
The investments include $750,000 for Vancouver Community College to expand a nursing degree program for licensed practical nurses and $227,000 for BCIT to offer advanced training for registered nurses working in critical care settings.
The funds will also be used to create opportunities for existing professionals to upgrade their skills. In terms of distribution, the funding will go to Vancouver Community College, the British Columbia Institute of Technology, the College of New Caledonia, Camosun College, North Island College, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, Okanagan College, and Thompson Rivers University.
“We are committed to training, recruiting and hiring a new generation of health-care professionals at all levels, including respiratory therapists and critical care nurses, who are vital members of the health-care team,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a statement. He also thanked respiratory therapists and nurses working with patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.