Tod Maffin at Maffeo Sutton Park in Nanaimo. Photo by Karl Yu, News Bulletin.
In June of this year, the Ministry of Health launched a campaign to attract American health care workers to British Columbia, along with new expedited credentialing and licensing programs that make it easier and faster for U.S.-trained professionals to work in BC.
“Our message to U.S. doctors, nurses and allied health workers is strong and clear – there has never been a better time to come to British Columbia," said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “With the chaos and uncertainty happening in the U.S., we are seizing the opportunity to attract the talent we need to join and strengthen our public, universal health-care system."
Here at Island Health, we've embraced this call to action. As of the end of October, 48 US-based nurses and allied health professionals have joined Island Health as staff and 22 U.S.-based medical staff providers (Nurse Practitioners and Physicians) have been recruited to Vancouver Island.
Island Health recruiter Melissa Bond reports that health care workers are joining us from all over the US and finding their place on many different parts of the Island. “Vancouver Island has so much to offer and it doesn't matter what you want, we can find it." She has spoken with candidates excited to live by the ocean, in walkable downtowns, or at the prospect of working in a brand new hospital. “We are able to find a place for so many people."
Island Health's U.S. recruitment campaign has been a collaborative effort. As part of the province's 'Team BC' campaign, potential recruits can be referred to us through Health Match BC. We have also had remarkable interest through the efforts of Tod Maffin, a former CBC radio host and producer, and his wife Jocelyn. Todd and Jocelyn started a movement to attract health care workers to Canada broadly, and Nanaimo specifically. They have held infusion events, produced videos, and host a Discord channel that they call “an online community for Canada-curious healthcare workers."
Many health care workers are coming to us with their families and have questions about the communities they'll be joining that go beyond questions about their employment. Supporting new recruits in this way also requires collaboration. Our workforce development and recruitment leadership has met with many enthusiastic municipalities across the Island and are finding Mayors and city staff excited to welcome U.S. health care workers and their families. Communities see this initiative as an opportunity to showcase local attractions and highlights. They are asking how they can help - through welcome packages, online materials and community campaigns.
Melissa Bond has heard many different stories from those considering a move to Vancouver Island. “Some people [in the U.S.] are choosing to move to Canada for a number of reasons, including career security, a better alignment of personal values, and a feeling that Canada can offer their families the kind of life they can't get in the U.S. right now," she says. “To be able to provide assistance in such a meaningful way is an honour."
Check out some of the media coverage:
- This nurse moved to Canada to avoid Trump
- Meet one of the U.S. health-care workers moving to Nanaimo
- Man behind viral Vancouver Island event sends SOS to U.S. health-care workers
- 'You will be valued': David Eby to U.S. health-care workers who want to move to B.C.
- BC Attracts 1,400 applications from U.S. health-care workers