Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis is seeking answers on why Kimberley and Cranbrook have been excluded from the Provincial Rural Retention Incentive (PRRI).
“Many of our surrounding communities in Columbia River-Revelstoke, such as Invermere and Golden, receive the PRRI,” said McInnis.
“With some of these communities receiving this incentive, we’re seeing some cases of health care professionals choosing to work away from home to receive extra pay.”
The PRRI gives healthcare workers in rural areas up to $8,000 per year to keep them in smaller communities.
“We are a 7-hour drive from Kelowna, and a daunting 12-hour trip from Vancouver,” said McInnis.
“Why are our healthcare workers being denied this important financial incentive?”
McInnis says healthcare workers in Kimberley and Cranbrook want to know why the two communities have been excluded.
“We’re having a challenge in recruiting and retaining healthcare workers because it’s much more attractive in some of the outlying communities where they’re granted that incentive,” said McInnis.
McInnis presented a petition with over 500 signatures on behalf of local residents and the East Kootenay B.C. Nurses Union.
“I’m going to keep pushing on this. It’s not a one-time issue that I’m going to drop and walk away from because I brought it up,” said McInnis.
“I have another petition I’m going to submit on behalf of the Hospital Employees Union and I’m going to write a letter to Health Minister Josie Osborne before the end of the week. I’m going to ask for a much more detailed explanation that I can pass along to constituents.”
McInnis says he will ask for reasons and explanations as to why Cranbrook and Kimberley were left out of the PRRI.
“Healthcare professionals are very well respected by those receiving the care that they need in our region and I think the government needs to pony up and match that respect by recognizing that we are a rural set of communities out here,” said McInnis.
“Healthcare workers can’t really wrap their heads around the reason why they’re not receiving this equitable treatment.”
Be the first to know! Don’t miss out on breaking news and daily updates in your area. Sign up to MyEastKootenayNow News Alerts.
