PRRD suspends scholarship funding with Northern Health

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The regional district is suspending healthcare scholarship money distributed to Northern Health and prospective students. 

During the May 22nd regional board meeting of the Peace River Regional District (PRRD), the board of directors reviewed two recommendations from the Health Care Scholarship Committee about its programs. 

The committee recommended to the board that healthcare scholarships previously administered by Northern Health and funded by the PRRD be suspended for the 2025 intake year.

According to minutes included from the April 25th committee meeting, a contract for funding between Northern Health and the PRRD is expiring in the 2025 intake year. 

By approving a suspension to the funding for 2025 onwards, the PRRD will have the time to reconsider funding allocations for programs and the best interests of regional residents. 

The list of these scholarships includes RN/RPN return of service, licensed practical nurse, career professional development and RN/RPN professional development scholarships. 

Scholarships with Northern Lights College and the PRRD healthcare high school scholarships will not be affected by the suspension of the other programs, and will remain open and available to students. 

The committee also recommended the regional board suspend $2,500 in funding per student for fourth-year degree program completions through the RN/RPN scholarship for the 2025 school year.

Additionally, it recommended authorizing an investigation into “potential alternative options for administration of the scholarships,” with the committee encouraging the regional board to await the results of the investigation and review before resuming scholarship funding. 

Part of the review would be exploring options around refocusing the funding being used for scholarships administered by Northern Health to “other healthcare initiatives.”  

The board has had numerous conversations about healthcare funding and how many ways Peace River residents are supporting healthcare in recent months, raising concerns about accepting a financial burden which should instead be accepted by the province or Northern Health.  

The board approved both recommendations without discussion, signalling a pause in healthcare funding for the 2025 intake year and green-lighting an investigation into how the funds could better serve Peace River residents.