BC Nurses’ Union Honours Northern Rockies Regional Municipality with Health Care Champion Award

The BC Nurses’ Union is pleased to announce the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) as its first-ever recipient of the BCNU Health Care Champion award, a new initiative that recognizes local governments that have taken meaningful action to support nurses and strengthen health care in their communities.

BCNU presented the award to NRRM Mayor Rob Fraser and municipal staff at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Victoria on September 24.

This new annual award shines a spotlight on local governments that demonstrate leadership in retaining and recruiting nurses by making their communities more attractive and livable through investments in housing childcare, transportation and recreational opportunities. It also recognizes municipalities that advocate alongside nurses for stronger measures from local health authorities and provincial and federal governments, including support for minimum nurse-to-patient ratios – proven to save lives, ease workloads and improve working conditions.

“Local governments play an essential role in building communities where nurses want to live and work,” says BCNU President Adriane Gear. “The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality has set an inspiring example by taking proactive steps to welcome and support nurses, and by standing alongside them in their advocacy for safe, sustainable health care.”

In just a few short years, NRRM has taken impressive steps to retain and recruit health-care professionals in the region. This includes the launch of the innovative Recruitment Retention Education & Training Incentive (RRETI) program, which offers nurses and other health-care workers a comprehensive package of supports that make the moving to the area easier and the choice to stay more rewarding.

Through RRETI, a nurse arriving in Fort Nelson can access:

• An incentive grant of up to $10,000 to assist with relocation costs, student debt or settling in the community.
• Access to residential housing for up to one year, with no rent required during the first six months and a reduced rate for the remaining six months.
• Temporary access to a rental vehicle to help with settlement.
• Financial incentives for health-care training and upgrading programs.

“We’re incredibly proud to receive this recognition from BCNU,” says NRRM Mayor Fraser. “Our community knows that attracting and keeping nurses starts with making sure they feel welcomed, supported and connected. This award reflects the hard work of our council, staff and residents to create a place where nurses can thrive, and where quality health care is part of our community’s foundation.”

Beyond these direct supports, NRRM has also established residential-style housing for agency nurses and travel nurses employed through the province’s GoHealth BC program to help ensure permanent staff receive relief and improving nurse-to-patient ratios in hard-to-fill positions.

“The work underway in the Northern Rockies goes beyond just filling vacancies – it's helping nurses join a community that invests in their success” says Gear. “It’s a model of partnership and local leadership that shows what’s possible when communities truly value the people who care for them.”

To set up an interview, email BCNU Communications at mailto:media@bcnu.org.