Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) members working in rural and remote communities across the province will continue to receive support from the Provincial Recruitment and Retention Incentives (PRRI) program, after the B.C. Ministry of Health confirmed another extension.
The program will continue through September 30, 2026, in the 76 communities.
Since early March, over 1,000 HEU members sent letters to Health Minister Josie Osborne, urging her to extend the program once again.
“We know that health care workers in rural and remote communities rely on these incentives, and we’re so happy that the Minister has continued to extend this funding,” says Lynn Bueckert, HEU’s secretary-business manager.
“Everyday health care workers are faced with working short staffed and these incentives help to keep people working in their communities. Continuing this program means workers can focus on what matters most – caring for patients and families.”
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 September 30, 2026, 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.