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Mid-Island MLAs tout more nursing seats at Vancouver Island University

Intake starts this fall as B.C. opening 600 more nurse training opportunities
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Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA Doug Routley. (Photo submitted)

New Democrat MLAs Sheila Malcolmson, Doug Routley and Adam Walker say expansion of nursing seats at Vancouver Island University and across B.C. will strengthen the province’s health care system by increasing future nursing capacity.

“More nursing seats at VIU and at other schools in B.C. will go a long way towards building a strong healthcare system and creating good jobs for people,” said Routley, Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA. “This is one example of how we are aligning our goal of a strong economy to our goal of making sure people in B.C. are healthy and cared for.”

“This expansion is great news – the vital role nurses play in our health care system has been especially evident through the pandemic,” said Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo. “Building our nursing workforce will reduce the strain on healthcare workers and open more opportunities for VIU students.”

“This investment in over 600 nursing seats will help train thousands of new nurses, or nurses-in-training, in our province,” added Walker, MLA for Parksville-Qualicum. “I’m glad to see so many new seats at VIU – this is positive news for people in our region who can upgrade their skills while staying local.”

The new nursing seats will be added to the approximately 2,000 seats currently in nursing programs in B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions. At Vancouver Island University, this investment will add eight new registered nursing seats, 24 seats for health care assistants who want to train as a licensed practical nurse and 24 seats for LPNs looking to move into a career as a registered nurse. The first intake begins in the fall of 2022.

The investment is a part of the StrongerBC Economic Plan efforts to move British Columbia forward by tackling the challenges of today, while growing an economy that works for everyone.