By Chris Brown

MHC to get money for more nursing seats

Apr 13, 2023 | 11:21 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat College will benefit from the province’s post-secondary targeted enrolment expansion initiative in this year’s budget.

Another 96 seats are to be added to the MHC practical nurse program at a cost of $2.1 million. No timeline is specified for the new seats, but the release from the province states that overall $86 million will be spent to expand health-care training programs in Alberta in the next three years.

It is broken down as follows:

• $20 million over three years to create 120 new physician seats at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta.
• $44 million over three years to create 1,400 new seats in health-related programs (registered nurses, health care aides, licensed practical nurses, nursing coordinators and supervisors, paramedical occupations and other technicians).
• $22 million over three years to create 2,100 additional seats in nurse bridging programs for internationally educated nurses.

Health Minister Jason Copping says the increase in post-secondary health-care training program spaces will help address staffing needs and build a stronger health-care system.

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The programs receiving funding were chosen based on workforce needs, learner demand and institutional capacity, among other criteria. Health care, technology and business are the current priority sectors.

The University of Lethbridge is receiving $1.9 million for its bachelor of nursing program with Lethbridge College, $1.7 million for its bachelor of science computer science program and $363,000 for its graduate certificate in data science program.

Find the full list of funding here.