Office of the Premier
People accessing health care in the Lower Mainland, North Shore, Sunshine Coast and Sea-to-Sky will benefit from more stable, consistent and supportive patient care as 864 environmental services and food-service workers return to the public system as Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) employees.
The change comes after almost 20 years of workers having services contracted out to private companies.
“A strong health-care workforce begins with workers who have stable, well-paying jobs and are respected as integral part of the care team,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “That is why we have been working hard over several years to transition workers back to the public system with better wages, better benefits and better working conditions. Welcoming them back to Vancouver Coastal Health is a critical step forward, creating a stronger health-care system for all of us.”
Health authorities and Providence Health Care continue to repatriate workers under Bill 47, bringing an estimated 4,000 workers back into the public system.
On Oct. 28, 2022, 864 environmental services and food-service workers will be repatriated at 31 VCH sites.
“The work of environmental services and food-service workers within the health system directly contributes to the well-being and safety of patients and staff who are there,” said Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors' Services and Long-Term Care. “Bringing these workers back to the health team at Vancouver Coastal Health recognizes their importance and ensuring that they are compensated fairly is the right thing to do. I am very proud of all the work done under Bill 47. This is great news for all British Columbians.”
To address inequality and enhance working conditions for employees in health-care facilities, government is ensuring that workers have the benefits, pension and wages they deserve to be able to help patients. Evidence has shown that employees who feel secure and safe in their jobs provide higher quality care for people and, in turn, employers can attract and retain staff at a higher and more consistent level.
Following the initial announcement on Aug. 30, 2021, health authorities and Providence Health Care served notice under the terms of 21 commercial service contracts and began a phased approach to repatriate housekeeping and food-service contracts, beginning with Island Health.
Work to bring health-care service workers back into the public system began in 2019 when the Province brought Bill 47 (Health Sector Statutes Repeal Act) into force. Bill 47 repealed the Health and Social Services Delivery Improvement Act (Bill 29) and the Health Sector Partnerships Agreement Act (Bill 94), which had facilitated contracting in the health sector and caused labour impacts.
In 2020, the process was started with the North Island Hospitals, which spearheaded the move independently of Bill 47 to bring 150 contracted workers in house at the Campbell River and Comox Valley hospitals.
Learn More:
Learn more about Bill 47 here: https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2017-2021/2018HLTH0102-002147.htm
For the Sept. 2, 2022, announcement on Bill 47, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022HLTH0176-001327
Two backgrounders follow.
