BC Nurses’ Union honours Kitimat with Health Care Champion Award

The District of Kitimat has been chosen as the recipient of BCNU’s 2026 Health Care Champion award for its leadership and commitment to recruiting and retaining nurses and other health-care professionals in the community.

BCNU President Adriane Gear presented the award to Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth and municipal representatives today at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver.

The annual award recognizes local governments that take meaningful action to support nurses and strengthen health care in their communities. It highlights municipalities that are helping make their communities more attractive and livable for health-care professionals through investments in housing, professional development, recreation and other supports, while advocating for the resources needed to deliver safe, high-quality care close to home.

“Kitimat has taken a thoughtful, practical approach to recruiting and retaining nurses and other health-care professionals, says BCNU President Adriane Gear. “This active work includes listening and identifying the barriers and then investing in solutions that help make the community a place where health-care workers can live, work and stay.”

A key part of Kitimat’s work includes commissioning a health-care recruitment and retention study after local health-care professionals, including nurses, raised concerns about the challenges they faced providing care in the community. The District used the findings to develop its Healthcare Recruitment and Retention Program and has established health-care recruitment as a strategic priority.

Launched in 2025, the program provides a range of incentives to attract and retain health-care professionals, including:

• Recruitment incentives of up to $20,000 for physicians, $14,000 for nurse practitioners and $7,500 for registered nurses and several other health-care professions.
• Housing assistance for eligible new health-care professionals relocating to Kitimat or Haisla Nation Territory, including rental supplements or contributions toward the purchase of a home.
• Professional development and education incentives to support health-care professionals in upgrading their skills and credentials.
• Retention incentives for health-care professionals who have worked in the community for at least two years.

The District has also hired a dedicated Health Recruitment Coordinator to lead recruitment efforts, build partnerships and support health-care professionals as they transition into the community.

Kitimat’s commitment to health care extends beyond financial incentives. The District contributed $800,000 toward the purchase and installation of a CT scanner at Kitimat General Hospital, in partnership with the North West Regional Hospital District, Northern Health, LNG Canada and community donors. The investment improves access to diagnostic services for residents while also helping create a stronger working environment for health-care professionals.

“Kitimat is incredibly proud to receive the BCNU Health Care Champion award,” says Mayor Phil Germuth. “Our community understands that attracting and retaining health-care professionals requires a long-term commitment. It means supporting people not only in their careers, but in their lives outside of work. We’ve worked hard to listen to our health-care professionals, understand the challenges they face and build partnerships that help address those challenges. This recognition reflects the efforts of our council, staff, health-care partners and the broader community.”

The District’s approach recognizes the important role local governments can play in creating the conditions that support health-care recruitment and retention. Investments in housing, recreation, community amenities and other quality-of-life initiatives can help make communities more attractive to health-care professionals and their families.

“Kitimat is showing what local leadership can look like when it comes to strengthening health care,” says Gear. “The District didn’t simply identify a problem and hope someone else would solve it. It listened to nurses and other health-care professionals, invested in understanding the barriers and put concrete measures in place to address them. That kind of local leadership makes a real difference.”

BCNU’s Health Care Champion award was established in 2025 to recognize local governments that are taking meaningful action to support nurses and strengthen health care in their communities. The inaugural award was presented to the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality.

To set up an interview, please contact BCNU Communications at media@bcnu.org.