The B.C. Ministry of Health informed the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) that the Provincial Rural and Retention Incentives (PRRI) program has again been extended through to December 31, 2025, in the existing 76 eligible communities.
“Over the past number of months, the union has continued to strongly advocate for extending the PRRI program,” says Lynn Bueckert, HEU’s secretary-business manager. “The government’s second extension signals to every front-line worker in the impacted communities that they are being heard."
“However, as good as this news is, we also need communities like Cranbrook and Kimberly to be included in the program, as well as HEU members working in private long-term care and assisted living.” says Bueckert.”
The PRRI program continues to offer financial incentives for Facilities and Community Health members who work in designated geographic health care areas. They include a retention incentive and enhanced referral incentive.
Workers can earn up to $2,000 every quarter up to a maximum of $8,000 per year until December 2025, provided they have regular employment status at the end of each quarter.
Introduced in 2021, the PRRI program was created to ensure health care staffing levels are sustained in the province’s underserved communities. PRRI ensures residents in remote regions, vulnerable populations including First Nations, can access and receive medical care.
For a full list of the communities covered by PRRI, click here.