We, the undersigned, acknowledge the recent expansion of the Provincial Rural Retention Initiative (PRRI) by the Government of BC on April 5, 2024. While we commend the initiative's aim to retain healthcare workers in rural areas, we express our deep concern over the exclusion of Cranbrook, BC, and Kimberley, BC, from the list of eligible communities, particularly when neighboring areas like Fernie, Invermere, Golden, and Creston have been included.

This exclusion raises significant concerns regarding the potential strain on healthcare resources in Cranbrook and Kimberley, including acute care, long-term care, and community healthcare, which are already facing critical staffing challenges. Without equitable access to retention incentives, we risk further destabilizing the healthcare workforce in these communities, where shortages are already placing an unsustainable burden on staff and impacting patient care.

Minister of Health Hon. Osborne recently acknowledged that “people living in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities have more barriers to accessing healthcare in an equitable way.” This is particularly true in Cranbrook and Kimberley, where our communities’ geographic remoteness compounds the challenges of recruitment and retention. Unlike other communities, East Kootenay's Regional Hospital cannot close its emergency room or divert patients elsewhere because it serves as the primary healthcare hub for the entire East Kootenay region. This lack of alternatives further highlights the urgency of addressing workforce retention through programs like the PRRI.

Neighboring communities, including Fernie, Invermere, Golden, and Creston, as well as other areas that successfully petitioned for inclusion—such as Nelson, Trail, Osoyoos, Oliver, and Okanagan Falls—have been added to the PRRI. Yet Cranbrook and Kimberley, despite being more remote and critical to regional healthcare delivery, remain excluded. This inequity is deeply concerning and underscores the need for a more holistic and fair approach to determining PRRI eligibility.

While agency nurses have played a vital role in keeping our healthcare system afloat, their use comes at a significant financial burden. Long-term contracts with agency nurses cost the system exponentially more than retaining permanent staff. These funds could be better allocated toward meaningful retention incentives for local healthcare workers, which would promote stability and allow for more effective use of taxpayer dollars. The reliance on agency nurses strains resources directly impacting permanent staff. These dedicated professionals often work short-staffed, face burnout, and bear the consequences of ongoing underfunding.

Minister Osborne’s emphasis on addressing rural healthcare challenges and her recognition that the healthcare system is “a nested group of relationships and systems” aligns perfectly with our appeal. Addressing workforce retention in Cranbrook and Kimberley isn’t just about supporting these individual communities; it’s about ensuring the stability of the entire East Kootenay healthcare system. A holistic approach must prioritize incentives for all rural communities, particularly those that bear the additional responsibility of serving as regional hubs.

By signing below, we affirm our commitment to advocating for the inclusion of Cranbrook and Kimberley, BC, in the PRRI. Without action, healthcare professionals will continue to seek opportunities in neighboring communities eligible for the PRRI, further destabilizing our workforce and jeopardizing patient care.

We respectfully urge the Government of BC to reconsider the exclusion of Cranbrook and Kimberley from the PRRI. Equitable access to healthcare incentives is not just a matter of fairness; it is a necessity to ensure the stability and sustainability of healthcare in our rural and remote communities.

Please join us in supporting this important cause by signing this petition and advocating for the healthcare that our communities deserve.