Provincial funding of $600,000 will support 78 new health-care spaces at three Vancouver Island public post-secondary institutions to deliver much-needed training of health-care professionals in the region.

The institutions and health-education programs include:

• Camosun College (Victoria) – 32 health-care assistant program spaces – funding of $246,400
• North Island College (Comox Valley campus) – 20 health-care assistant program spaces – funding of $133,371
• North Island College (Port Alberni campus) in partnership with Justice Institute of British Columbia – 2.25 emergency medical responder program spaces (full-time equivalent spaces) supporting nine students – funding of $24,651
• Vancouver Island University (Nanaimo campus) – 12 community mental health worker program spaces – funding of $100,819
• Vancouver Island University (Parksville campus) – 12 community health promotion worker for Aboriginal communities program spaces – funding of $95,327

One-time funding for short-duration health-care programs helps address the immediate needs of specific communities so that the supply of trained health-care professionals is aligned with demand.

Public post-secondary institutions in British Columbia are helping address the needs of the health system by ensuring that students in the health-care professions have the skills and training they need to serve their communities well.

The one-time funding, which is targeted at programs running for one year or less, was awarded after the institutions answered a call for proposals from public post-secondary institutions. It is in addition to any regular-funded health-care training spaces at the institutions.

Quotes:

Minister of Advanced Education Andrew Wilkinson –

“More students will be able to train as health-care workers in their local communities as a result of $600,000 in targeted funding for additional health-care spaces on Vancouver Island.”

Parksville-Qualicum MLA Michelle Stilwell –

“In response to Vancouver Island’s growing population, our government is funding 78 additional health-care seats in the region. Four different programs will cover a wide range of health services with three of them – emergency medical responder, community health promotion worker and community mental health worker – benefiting Aboriginal populations in particular.”

Comox Valley MLA Don McRae –

“The one-time funding of $133,371 for 20 additional health-care assistant spaces at North Island College demonstrates that our government is focused on finding the most effective way of funding health education to ensure that the supply of health-care professionals is aligned with demand for health services in the Comox Valley.”

Camosun College president Sherri Bell –

“We are very pleased to receive this funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education for our health-care assistant program. The funding is critical as this program is in high demand and it allows Camosun to educate more students as professional front-line health workers to provide vital life-enhancing care to those in our community.”

North Island College president John Bowman –

“The 20 health-care assistant spaces will certainly address the demand for front-line health workers on north Vancouver Island, but most exciting is that 10 of those spaces will be offered as a special intake in the evening and weekends, which will allow those already working in the field the necessary flexibility to achieve their certification.”

Vancouver Island University president Ralph Nilson –

“VIU would like to recognize the government for providing funding to support valuable training in our community mental health worker program. There is increasing demand on Vancouver Island for front-line health workers with the skills to support mental health in our communities. With this funding from the government, VIU will be able to help fill that demand, and create meaningful and fulfilling career paths for our students.”

Justice Institute of British Columbia president & CEO Michel Tarko –

"We appreciate this funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education to provide additional spaces expanding regional delivery of our in-demand emergency medical responder program in partnership with North Island College. This will provide a valuable starting point for students looking to build on their education in paramedicine, provide employment opportunities in the community, and respond to the growing need for pre-hospital emergency health care."