The B.C. Ministry of Health extended support for rural and remote health care workers in 76 communities, by renewing the the Provincial Recruitment and Retention Incentives (PRRI) program until March 31, 2027.
“I applaud the Ministry and the new health minister for listening to the health care workers and B.C.'s rural communities by extending funding for this vital employment program,” says Lynn Bueckert, HEU’s secretary-business manager.
“And while we called on Victoria to make the PRRI permanent, by renewing the program for six additional months, HEU members can once again focus on providing the best care possible for their patients and residents, instead of looking for employment outside health care to make up for lost income."
In early September, the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) restarted a letter writing campaign, urging Ravi Kahlon, the new health minister, to make the program permanent. Over 1,300 HEU members and their supporters took part in the action.
“The PRRI targets long-standing staffing shortages in the 76 communities where it is active,” says Bueckert. “Without it, working conditions in health care facilities across the rural and remote B.C. would become even more difficult for existing workers, creating retention and recruitment challenges for health authorities.”
The PRRI program provides financial incentives to Facilities Agreement and Community Health Agreement members in designated geographic health care areas, including both retention payments and enhanced referral bonuses.
Eligible workers can receive up to $2,000 each quarter, with a maximum of $8,000 annually through March 31, 2027, if they keep regular employment status at the end of each quarter.
Since its launch in 2021, the PRRI program has worked to stabilize health care staffing in geographically isolated areas, ensuring that residents in remote regions, including First Nations communities, have reliable and sustained access to medical care.
For a full list of the communities covered by PRRI, click here.