BCNU In the News

BCNU has been the leading voice in mainstream media during the COVID-19 health pandemic on PPE supply and access, nurses' well-being, public health measures, and much more. We also advocate for seniors' care, the environment, social determinants of health, government policy and other issues that impact health care, nurses, patient care and the public.
Recent media coverage featuring BCNU is highlighted below:
January 24
January 22
- Despite Staffing Crisis, Nurses Face Roadblocks in Upgrading, Returning From Retirement – Times Colonist
January 20
- BC Nurses and Union Cry Foul After Professional College Increases Annual Fees by 15% – CBC
- BC Nurses Frustrated After Registration Fees Set to Increase – CityNews
January 19
January 18
- Threats, Discipline, Fear: The Muzzling of BC Health-care Workers – CTV News
- Spotlight on Travel Nurses on Vancouver Island – CTV Vancouver Island
January 17
- Nurse Vacancy Rate Down, Short Staffing Challenges Continue at RIH – CFJC News
- Leaked Employee Survey Shows Issues With Senior Leadership at Island Health – CHEK News
January 16
- The Need for Protective Service Officers in Our System – Mike Smyth Show (Interview Begins at 00:20)
- Vernon Hospital Attack – CBC Daybreak South (Interview Begins at 1:08:35)
- Inside a Vernon, BC Care Centre’s Struggle With a ‘Critical’ Nursing Shortage – Global News
January 12
- Daphne Bramham: Canada's Response to Nursing Shortage Lacks Urgency and Co-ordination – Vancouver Sun
January 11
- BC Cuts Costs to Bring International, Retired Nurses Into Fray – Kamloops This Week
- Only 4 of 334 'Protection Officers' Have Been Hired for BC Hospitals – CTV News
January 10
- Advocates Question Whether BC's Supports for Nurses Go Far Enough – CBC
- BC Offers Support for Internationally Educated Nurses – CTV Morning Live
- BC Takes Steps to Bolster Nursing Workforce – Global News
January 9
- BC Announces Incentives to Get More Nurses Working – Times Colonist
- BC Government Announces More Support for Nurses – CKNW (Interview Begins at 20:45)
- BC Government Covering Costs for Internationally Educated Nurses to Deal With Staffing Shortage – Global News
- BC Plans to Streamline Licensing for Internationally Trained Nurses – CBC
- BC Removes Financial Barriers in Attempts to Recruit More Nurses – CTV News
- BC Will Help Pay for Former and International Nurses to Relieve Staffing Shortage, Burnout – CHEK News
- BC Will Pay Fees, Fund Schooling Upgrades to Get More Nurses in Health-Care System – CFAX 1070

December 19
December 12
December 10
- Nursing Crisis at Lady Minto Hospital – The Times Colonist
December 8
December 7
- BC Health Authority Fined $355K for Insufficient Response to Care Home Violence – CTV News
- Northern Health Fined for Work Safety Investigation Violations – Coast Reporter
December 6
- Protecting Nurses - WorkSafe issues NHA fine – CKNW Simi Sara Show (Listen at 28:37-36:55)
- Northern Health fined $355K for Failing to Adequately Complete Workplace Safety Investigations – CBC
- Health-Care Workers Are Facing an Epidemic of Violence – The Tyee
- Northern Health Fined Over $350,000 – CKPG TV
- Northern Health Slapped With $355,000 Fine After Failing to Complete Safety Investigations – My Cariboo News

November 25
- BC Flush With $5 Billion in Extra Cash, Officials Say in Quarterly Update – CTV Vancouver
- Nurses' Concerns at RIH: MLAs Have Heard Similar Sentiments – Kamloops This Week
November 24
- Health Officials Brace For Surge in Hospital Visits Due to Flu, COVID, RSV – CHEK News
- Nurses Rally in Nanaimo to Demand Action With Health-care System ‘In a State of Crisis’ – Nanaimo News Bulletin
- VIDEO: ‘It’s Just Not Sustainable, They’re Exhausted:’ Nurses Rally at Nanaimo Hospital For More Resources – Nanaimo News Now
November 22
November 17
- Canada's Health-care System Has A Data Problem, Experts Say. And It Puts Patients At Risk –CBC News
- Violence at Vancouver General Hospital Highlights Need for Security Improvements – Global News
November 9
- Nurses Meet With Health Care Ministers - CFAX 1070
- Port Hardy Hospital’s Emergency Department Closed Temporarily, Island Health Says – Global News
November 8
- ‘They’re Burnt Out’: Nurse Shortage a Challenge for Port Hardy Hospital – CHEK News
- “We Need Investment Into Health Care Now,”: BC Nurses' Union President – My Cariboo Now
November 7
November 6
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Ottawa and Provincial Health Ministers Urged by Nurse Union Head to Stop ‘Squabbling’ as They Sit Down for First Meeting Since 2018 – Globe and Mail
November 4
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BC Nurses Hold Rally in Downtown Vancouver – Global News
November 3
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Interior Health Responds to Growing Safety Concerns at Penticton, BC Regional Hospital – Global News
November 2

October 24
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Nurses Being Punched, Grabbed, Kicked to Benefit from Anti-violence Program: Union – CHEK News
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The BC Government Announced Funding to Help Keep Health-care Workplaces Safer – Global News
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'Punched, Kicked, Sexually Harassed': BC to Hire 320 Security Guards to Address Hospital Violence – City News
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Health Minister Unveils Violence Reduction Plan for Hospitals – Canadian Press
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BC to Hire 320 Protection Services Officers for Healthcare Settings – Prince George Now
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Royal Inland Hospital Among 26 Facilities to Get Beefed-up Security – Kamloops This Week
October 19
October 18
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BC's Population Surge Adds to Health-care Stress – Richmond News
October 13
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NDP Leadership Hopeful Anjali Appadurai Promises 25% Raise for Nurses – Global News
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BC NDP Leadership Race: Anjali Appadurai Pomises 25-per-cent Pay Raise for Nurses – Vancouver Sun
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BC Nurses Rally Outside VCH as Hospital Employee's Union Ratifies New Agreement – CityNews
October 5
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BC Nurses Hold Protest in Vancouver on Health-care Crisis – Vancouver is Awesome
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BC Nurses March in Downtown Vancouver Amid Health-care Pressures – City News
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BC Nurses’ Union Hold Demonstration in Downtown Vancouver, Wednesday – Global News
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Hundreds of Frustrated Nurses March Through Downtown Vancouver (PHOTOS/VIDEOS) – Daily Hive
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Nurses Rally in Vancouver to Sound Alarm Over System in Crisis – Global News at Noon
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Nurses Rally to Highlight 'Crisis' in BC Health-care System – CTV News
October 3
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BC Nurses Left Out of Provincial Health-care Changes – Global News

September 30
- BC to Train More Doctors, Expand Pharmacists’ Ability to Provide Primary Care Under New Health Plan - Globe and Mail
September 28
September 21
- BCNU Members Tour Northern BC; Rally Friday in Prince George - Prince George Daily News
- BC Nurses’ Union Sounds Warning: ‘System is on the Brink of Collapse’ - Castanet
- Nursing Shortage a Hot Topic During CBC Townhall Tuesday Night - CBC The Early Edition
September 20
- BC Health Care ‘on the Brink of Collapse’: BC Nurses’ Union Demanding Action From the Government to Fix Ailing System – Alaska Highway News
- BC Nurses’ Union Travelling to Meet With Northern Nurses This Week – My PG Now
September 9
September 7
September 2

August 25
- 'A Disaster': $64 Million in a Single Year to For-profit BC Nursing Companies Amid 7-fold increase – CTV News
- 'We Need Respect' Overworked Kelowna Hospital Staff Bristle After Being Given Art Supplies - Castanet
August 23
- BC Nurses Continue to Face Burnout – CFAX 1070
- Time to Start Seeing More of BC's 'Top Nurse?' New Federal Chief Spurs Discussion – CTV News
- Will Appointing a New Chief Nursing Officer Help British Columbia's Nurse Shortage? - CKNW (Listen at 9:56)
August 19
- Closures of 2 ERs in BC's Southern Interior Putting Pressure on Region's Biggest Hospital – CTV News
August 18
- Pressure Mounts on BC Government as Public Sector Strike Drags On – Global News
- BC Nurses Sound Alarm, Working up to 133% Overcapacity at Kootenay Hospital – Global News
- BC Nurses' Union Tours East Kootenay to Hear Feedback on Staffing Concerns, Challenges – The Cranbrook Townsman
- BC Nurses’ Union Discussing Staffing Shortages With Members – Castanet
August 15
- BC Liberals Push 30-day Action Plan for Doctor Shortage – Glacier Media
August 10
- Nurses’ Union to Hold Rally at Campbell River Hospital Over North Island Closures – CHEK News
- BC Nurses’ Union Speaks Out About Kamloops Incident – CBC Radio
- Nursing Shortage Plaguing North Island Communities – My Comox Now
- Nurses Rally for Change in Campbell River – Campbell River Mirror
August 9
- BC Nurses’ Union on Severe Shortage of Nurses and Difficult Working Conditions – CBC Early Edition
- BCNU VP Adriane Gear speaks to Mike Smyth about the tremendous pressure on the health care system – CKNW (Listen at 25:49)
August 8
- RCMP Investigating After Nurse Assaulted at RIH Emergency Room – Radio NL
- A BC Nurse is Speaking Out After Being Assaulted at Her Work, in the Kind of Attack her Union Says is Happening More Frequently – CTV News
August 6
- ‘Situation is Dire’ BC Nurse Staffing Shortage Reaching Crisis Level, Union Says – CityNews
- BC’s Unemployment Rate Remains Little Changed, But Faces Headwinds – Vancouver Sun
August 5
- BCNU VP Adriane Gear Speaks to As It Happens Guest Host Paul Hunter About the Nurse Shortage in BC Hospitals – CBC Radio (Listen at 27:50)
- 'Extremely Dire': Nurse Union VP Says Staffing in BC Hospitals is Worst She's Ever Seen – CTV News
- Alert Bay Residents Worried as Overnight ER Services Shut Down for Two Weeks – National Observer

July 27
July 26
- 'Devastated' Nurses Point to Short-staffing in Patient's Death in Lions Gate Hospital ER – North Shore News
- Lions Gate Patient Died in ER Got Significant Care': BC Health Minister – Vancouver Sun
July 22
- 'It's a Disaster:' Deaths of Women in North Van, Ashcroft Blamed on ER Staff Shortages – Vancouver Sun
- BC Doctors Ask for Help, Support Amid Growing Health-care Crisis – City News
- Patient Dies After Being Stuck in Hospital Waiting Room for Two Days – The Jill Bennett Show (BCNU VP’s interview starts at 17:49)
July 20
- Primary Health Care ‘Collapsing’ in Rural BC Cities, Critics say – National Observer
July 19
- More Weekend ER Closures Put Pressure on Health-Minister for Long-term Fix – Vancouver Sun
- ‘We are Getting Ourselves Set up for the Future’ RIH Surgeon Excited About New ORs. – CFJC TV
July 15
- Court Rejects Private Care; Clinic Operator Says Solutions Must be Found to Long Waits – Times Colonist
- A BC Doctor Fighting for the Right of Private Health Care has Lost his Legal Challenge in a BC Courtroom – CHEK News (begins at 12:09)
- BCNU Pushing for More Nursing Students, TRU says Not enough Clinical Space at RIH – CFJC TV
July 14
- Staffing Shortage in BC Emergency Rooms Piles Pressure on Those Left to Pick Up the Slack – The Globe and Mail
- BCNU President Worries About Decreasing Staff at New Patient Tower – CFJC TV
July 12
- Let's Talk About Staffing Shortages – Working Short The Nursing Podcast
- BC Nurses Need Help Facing Burnout – CFAX 1070
- BC Nurses Add Their Voices to Calls for More Federal Health-care Funding – Global News
- Staff Shortages Driving BC Nurses to the Breaking Point – CKPG TV
- Protesters Demand Better Health Care – CTV News (story runs from 9:45 - 12:16)
- BC Nurses' Union President Aman Grewal to Canada's Premiers: Action is Needed Now – Indo Canadian Voice
July 11
- Premiers Unite to Demand More Health-care Dollars From Ottawa – Vancouver Sun
- Premiers Pressure Federal Government to Carry Half the Health-care Load: Horgan – CHEK News
- BC Nurses Union President Calling on Premiers to Address Overrun Health-Care System – My Bulkley Lakes Now
July 6
- Burnt-out Canadian Nurses Are Leaving to Find Better Opportunities – Jill Bennett Show with Guest Host Bruce Claggett on 980 CKNW
(Listen to President Aman Grewal’s Interview From 16:46 to 28:20)
July 4

June 3

May 31
- The Strain On BC’s Health-Care System – CKNW Simi Sara Show
May 30
May 29
May 27
May 26
- Capacity Crisis: 82 Percent of Nurses Say They Are Struggling [Listen From 0:00 - 10:56] – 980 CKNW
May 19
- Patients and Nurses Are Feeling The Squeeze of Staffing Shortages — But They Don't Feel Free to Talk About It – Capital Daily News
May 16
May 14
- Port McNeill Hospital ER Closed This Weekend Due to Nurse Shortage – Times Colonist
- Growing Wait Times, Nurses and Doctors’ Shortage: ‘BC’s Healthcare Being Pushed to the Brink’ – The Link Newspaper
May 13
May 12
- BC Nurses Demand Government Action – CTV Vancouver Morning Show
May 11
- BCNU Hosts ‘Vigil to Heal Health Care’ – Merritt Herald
- ‘Help BC Nurses’ Campaign Wants to Highlight Nurse Shortage – Merritt Herald
May 10
- Not All BC Nurses Celebrating Nursing Week – City News
- BC Nurses Rally at Legislature Against ‘Reckless’ Staffing Levels in Precursor to Contract Negotiations – CHEK News
- 'Burnt out' BC nurses Hold Rally at Legislature Over Staffing Shortages – CBC
- Nurses ‘Burnt Out’ During Ongoing Public Health Emergencies Rally at Legislature – Times Colonist
- National Nursing Week to Hold Rallies Outside BC Legislature – CFAX 1070
May 9
- BCNU Taking Nursing Strain Concerns to BC Legislature – CFJC
- Three Nurses in Emergency: Opposition MLAs Press Health Minister on RIH Nursing Shortage – CFJC
- BC Nurses Hold Vigil in Victoria to Demand Government Address Health-care Crisis – Global News
May 4
- BC Completes Record-Breaking Number of Surgeries – Global BC
- BC Hiring More Health-care Staff as it Wipes Out Surgery Backlog – Canadian Press
- BC Health Agencies Target Workers Who Report Under-staffing, Burnout: Nurses’ Union – Vancouver Sun
- Majority of Non-urgent Surgeries Postponed During Pandemic Now Completed: Dix – Times Colonist
- An Emergency Doctor’s Life: Constant Extra Shifts, Worry About Being Able to Provide Needed Care – Times Colonist

April 27
- Acute-care Patients Not Being Sent to Hotels, Health Minister Says – Times Colonist
April 26
- Hotels Being Considered for Use for Rehab Patients Due to Pressure on Victoria Hospitals – Global News
- South Island Hospitals Operating at Overcapacity, Says BC Nurses’ Union – CHEK News
April 19
- 'We Need More Nurses Now': BC to Fast Track Approval for Internationally Trained Nurses – Vancouver Sun
- BC to Spend $12 Million to Help Internationally Educated Nurses Get Licensed – CBC
- BC Moves to Attract Foreign Nurses to Overcome Critical Nurse Staffing Crisis – Toronto Star
- BC Spends $12M to Streamline Certification for Internationally Trained Nurses – Daily Hive
April 7
April 5
April 4
- BC Nurses’ Union Launches New Advertising Campaign – 1150AM Radio
- BC Nurses’ Union Starts New Ad Campaign Calling for Support – My PG Now
- BCNU Launches New Advertising Campaign Highlighting Nurses’ Struggle as Staffing Crisis Deepens – Indo Canadian Voice

March 31
- BC Nurses Getting Squeezed by Parking Tickets – Global News
March 30
March 28
- Health Care Hits a Breaking Point – The Tyee
March 10
- Planned Vaccine Mandate for Some BC Health Care Workers Replaced With 'Informed Consent' Program – CTV News
- Union Calls on Province to Take 'Bold Action' to Cope With Nursing Shortages – Tri-City News
March 9
- 'Everyone Should be Concerned About This': Union Sounds Alarm About Shortage of ICU Nurses – CTV News
- Nursing Hopes of a Contract Boost – The Orca
March 8
- BC has a Critical ICU Nursing Shortage and No Plan to Address it: Union – The Vancouver Sun
March 4

Feb. 23
- More Nurse Training Seats Coming to the North – CKPG TV
- BC Budget: Funds Earmarked for New Medical Centres, Paramedics and Surgeries – Times Colonist
Feb. 22
- Concern, Disappointment and Optimism: Health-care Unions React to BC Budget – CTV News
- BC Budget 2022: Gov't Commits $875 Million Over Next Year To Keep Fighting COVID-19 – Vancouver Sun
- A Leading Nurses' Wish List for Budget Day – CBC Early Edition
- BC Government Adding 602 New Nursing Seats in a Move to Address Skills Gap – City News
Feb. 21
- BC Government Creating 602 New Nurse Training Seats to Ease Staffing Shortage – Victoria Times Colonist
Feb. 20
- BC Government Funding 602 New Student Nursing Spots – Global News
- Province to Add Hundreds of Post-secondary Nursing Seats to Address Skills Gap – CBC
- Lions Gate Hospital Nurses Struggling Amid Staffing Shortages says Union – Coast Reporter
Feb. 12
- 'Advocate for yourself': Immunocompromised Woman Leaves Hospital After Learning COVID-19 Patient Not Isolated – CTV News
- IH Closes 14-bed Wing at Fischer Place – 100 Mile Free Press
Feb. 10
- ‘People Have Threatened to Beat Us’: Prince Rupert Nurses Face Staffing Shortages and Violence – Peach Arch News
- 42-year-old Charged After Alleged Violent Assault at Chilliwack General Hospital, Tuesday – Chilliwack Progress
Feb. 08
- 'We Will Not Cower' Letter From Doctors, Nurses Condemns Hate Directed at Them – CHEK News
- BC Grapples with Health-care Worker Shortage – Business in Vancouver Magazine
Feb. 07
Feb. 05
- BC Nurses’ Union Asking MLAs to Address Key Issues in Health-care System – My Cariboo Now
- British Columbians Increasingly Concerned About Quality of Heath-care – Black Press
Feb. 04
Feb. 03

Jan. 31
Jan. 25
Jan. 24
- COVID-19: BC Health-care Needs to be ‘Reimagined’ as Pandemic Hits Two-year Mark, Experts say – Vancouver Sun
Jan. 22
- Some BC Nurses Still Lack Access to N95 Respirators, Union President says – CTV News, CFAX Radio
Jan. 21
- BC Signals Shift Away From Contact Tracing, Widespread Testing To Control The Spread Of COVID – CHEK
Jan. 20
Jan. 19
Jan. 18
- BC Doctors, Nurses Warn Breaking Point Is Near As Omicron Wave Surge Hits Health-Care System – CityNews
- ‘Ready To Quit,’ BC Nurses, Doctors Exhausted As COVID-19 Hospitalization Expected To Peak – CTV News
- How COVID Related Staffing Challenges Are Impacting BC Health Authorities, Hospitals – Daily Hive
- BC Nurses, Doctors Exhausted As Next COVID Peak Comes This Week – CHEK
Jan. 13
- Health Care Absenteeism Expected to Climb – CKPG Today
- BC Nurses Past Their ‘Breaking Point,’ Survey Finds – Kelowna Now
Jan. 12
- 'At their breaking point': BC nurses sound the alarm over staff shortages – Daily Hive
- COVID-19: BC Health-Care System 'Stretched' By Staffing Shortages – The Province
Jan. 11
- 'We Can Help': Internationally Trained Nurses in Canada Eager to Work – CTV News
- Daphne Bramham: Political Will Needed to Break Licensing Logjam so Qualified, Foreign Nurses Can Work – Vancouver Sun
Jan. 10
Jan. 7
Jan. 6
- Almost Half a Million BC Booster Appointment Invitations Ignored – CTV News
- Staff Shortages On The Frontlines – CBC News
- Staff at Testing Centres Harassed – CTV News
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