Patients will experience improved care and nurses will experience a stronger health-care system as the Province and BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU) have now established nurse-to-patient ratios for the majority of hospital settings.

A new recruitment strategy, along with expanded education opportunities and supports for nurses, will enable the implementation of ratios and make B.C. a leader in Canada in terms of places to practise as a nurse.

“Nurses in B.C. do an incredible job taking care of us in our time of need – whether in the community, a hospital or in a care home,” said Premier David Eby. “Setting a minimum nurse staffing standard means more time to deliver the life-saving care. This is one of the actions we’re taking to recruit and retain nurses with better pay, safer working conditions and more training opportunities.”

New nurse-to-patient ratios have been determined for more hospital settings, such as in emergency departments, neo-natal intensive care units (NICU), post-anaesthesia care units (PACU), maternity units, operating rooms and alternative level of care areas. Implementation of these additional ratios will begin in fall 2024. Planning is underway to establish ratios in long-term care, assisted living and other health-authority-operated community settings. The full suite of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, including the ones announced in March 2024, will be implemented over a four-year period, with the target of hiring more than 8,000 nurses.

“Nurses are essential to the health-care system, and we have worked diligently to address deficiencies in their workplace and improve retention,” said Adrian Dix, B.C. Minister of Health. “Earlier this year, we became the first province in Canada to establish minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and have made significant progress. Now, with ratios for the majority of hospital settings agreed upon with the BCNU, we have a firm commitment to work together to deliver ratios over the next four years, fortified by new recruitment programs for workplaces that benefit both nurses and patients.”

As previously indicated, over the coming year, B.C. will have funding of $300 million to build out the nursing workforce. Additionally, the Province is taking actions in the following ways immediately:

• BC Health Careers recently launched an international recruitment campaign targeting internationally educated nurses. This includes a first-of-its-kind integrated BC Health Careers Roadshow in the U.K., with similar events to come.
• Nurses accepting positions in high-needs areas, starting with emergency departments will receive as much as $25,000 as a recruitment incentive.
• In addition, there is $100 million, allocated from the 2023-24 minimum nurse-to-patient ratio budget, which will support retention and professional development for nurses, with an early focus on emergency departments in Year 1. This is part of the Province’s wider commitment to refresh and expand educational programs for nurses to more easily access practice opportunities in complex care environments. A key area of focus is emergency departments, recognizing the challenges the Province is currently facing.
• Expanding GoHealthBC nursing, the Province’s public travel nurses program, to reduce reliance on agency nursing and overtime, with an early focus on recruiting ER-qualified nurses to prevent emergency department closures.
• The BCNU and Ministry of Health will also work together to create resources, beginning with emergency departments, to implement flexible scheduling as part of establishing collaborative and healthy workplaces.

“Today’s announcement is yet another milestone toward achieving minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in B.C. and represents an unprecedented collaboration between nursing leaders within the Ministry of Health, health authorities and the BC Nurses’ Union,” said Adriane Gear, president, BC Nurses’ Union. “Ratios will improve the quality of patient care and conditions of work. Determining the ratios could not have been done without the feedback provided by thousands of nurses, who are dedicated to improving the experience of both patients and their fellow nurse colleagues.”

Funding for the nurse-to-patient ratios is supported by the Province allocating funding from the Working Together bilateral agreement.

This work also builds on the 602 new nurse training seats announced in 2022, which brings the total number of nursing seats in B.C. to more than 2,700. Investing in the retention and recruitment of nurses is part of B.C.’s Health Human Resources Strategy. The strategy advances 70 actions to retain, recruit and train health-care workers in B.C. while supporting innovative health-system redesign and optimization.

Quotes:

Jim Gould, interim CEO, BC Nurses’ Union –

“Ratios have been proven to transform the delivery of patient care in other parts of the world and it is exciting to know that B.C. is the first province in Canada to implement this as a staffing solution. This is a critical policy decision that nurses have been advocating for and we applaud the government for advancing this work in consultation with the nurses of B.C.”

Mark Holland, federal Minister of Health –

“Ensuring we have enough nurses to take care of patients is critical, not only for the safety and well-being of patients, but for the health and welfare of nurses themselves. Through the Working Together agreement with B.C., federal investments will improve nurse-to-patient ratios, aid the recruitment and retention of nurses, and improve the delivery of care. This is an important milestone for B.C. and will ensure a more supportive environment for nurses provincewide”

Quick Facts:

• Minimum nurse-to-patient ratios can improve patient safety and hospital stay lengths.
• Minimum nurse-to-patient ratios represent the minimum number of nurses deemed necessary to care for a maximum number of patients on a unit.
• The new ratios are the first of their kind in Canada and anchor the delivery of patient care to a simple, clear formula that transparently indicates nurse staffing requirements throughout the province.
• Implementation of ratios has been demonstrated to decrease nurse occupational injuries, return nurses to the bedside and significantly reduce nurse turnover and vacancy rates. This means nurses will be able to spend more time with their patients.
• B.C. is welcoming more nurses faster than other provinces. There have been 14,212 new nurses registered since January 2023, bringing the total nurses registered (in all categories) to 72,082 – the second fastest overall nursing workforce growth in Canada. This includes 1,319 internationally educated nurses (IENs) who have received full or provisional registration, with an additional 1,624 IENs who have been referred to receive additional training for which they can also access bursaries.

Thousands of first-time home buyers will have the opportunity to purchase a home at an initial 40% below market value at the Heather Lands in Vancouver, made possible through an innovative financing initiative envisioned by xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) (MST) Nations delivered in partnership with the Province.

“The dream of home ownership has been out of reach for too many, for too long, especially here in Vancouver,” said Premier David Eby. “This innovative initiative – delivered in partnership with MST Nations – will help thousands of middle-class people break into the housing market, while allowing government to recoup its financial contribution. This means more families living and working here can put down roots, while also addressing labour challenges and driving our economy forward.”

The Attainable Housing Initiative (AHI or Initiative) will see approximately 2,600 homes being built at the Heather Lands, an 8.5-hectare (21 acres) site located between West 33rd Avenue and West 37th Avenue at Heather Street in Vancouver. The Initiative was proposed by the MST Nations as a meaningful way for the Nations to harness economic, cultural and social benefits from their land holdings by strategically partnering with other levels of government.

“Ten years ago, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh signed groundbreaking agreements that led to our Nations working together to regain ownership of several properties within our shared territories,” said xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Chief Wayne Sparrow. “This relationship has evolved, and we are proud to collectively introduce this new initiative that will ease the housing crisis faced by our members and the general public.”

The initiative will allow for studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom 99-year strata leasehold homes to be initially purchased and financed by middle-income earners at below-market prices through a 60/40 purchase financing arrangement.

The framework of the 60/40 purchase financing arrangement includes:

• A buyer owns the home, but initially finances and pays only 60% of the market price for the unit using a traditional real estate transaction (e.g., down payment and financing through a mortgage with the buyer’s financial institution).
• The Province initially finances and covers the remaining 40% of the market price with the land owner and developer.
• The 40% contribution is then repaid by the buyer to the Province either when the owner sells an AHI unit or after 25 years, from the purchase date, whichever comes first (further details in Backgrounder 2).
• A buyer under the Initiative only needs an initial 5% deposit (at pre-sale) on 60% of the initial market purchase price.
• AHI units will be sold as 99-year strata leaseholds on MST Nations-owned land.
• The Initiative and 60/40 purchase financing arrangement applies only to the original first-time purchase of the unit and not to secondary or subsequent purchase/sale transactions.

The partnership will include MST Nations providing the land and the Government of B.C. contributing up to $672 million, which is expected to be repaid by purchasers to the Province under the initiative, allowing the Province to reinvest returned funds into future provincial programs, which may include housing.

“This new MST collaboration is an innovative and distinctly Indigenous approach to development, that will make home ownership significantly more accessible to those who live in our shared territories,” said Sxwixwtn, Wilson Williams, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw spokesperson and council member. “We are proud that the MST Nations can offer a unique solution to the affordable housing crisis now facing Vancouver.”

Since 2014, the Heather Lands site has been part of a joint venture between the MST Nations and Canada Lands Company, a self-financing, federal Crown corporation specializing in real estate and development. A comprehensive planning program of the site began in 2016, jointly overseen with the City of Vancouver’s planning department.

“As the host First Nations within Vancouver, we have always welcomed people to our shared territories, and in our culture being a good host matters,” said səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) Chief Jen Thomas. “This initiative is our way of aligning our cultural values of caring for all the people that choose to live in our territories, while also delivering economic benefits to our communities and the next seven generations. We are all in this together and I think this is the start of something very special.”

Under the plan, prospective buyers could be able to register and confirm their eligibility as early as spring 2025. First-time homebuyers and people who do not own any property will be prioritized. If there are more eligible buyers than available AHI units, a randomized selection of eligible buyers will take place, with first-time homebuyers prioritized and first in line.

There will be strict rules and screening measures in place within the AHI to stop speculators from flipping properties and exploiting the initiative, and to stop ineligible buyers from participating. This includes provisions in place to stop presale flipping and deter the resale of AHI units within the first three years of ownership. (See details in Backgrounder 2.)

Eligibility:

• Buyers must  have a total annual household income less than $131,950 (as of 2024) and net household assets less than $150,000, to be eligible for studio and one-bedroom leasehold homes.
• Buyers must have a total annual household income less than $191,910 (as of 2024) and net household assets less than $250,000, to be eligible for two-bedroom, or larger leasehold homes.
• Buyers must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
• One buyer must have resided in B.C. for the past 24 months consecutively.
• Buyers must be at least 18 years old.
• Buyers must not own an interest in any other property anywhere else in the world at the time of purchase closing.
• Buyers must prequalify for a mortgage and must have the minimum pre-sale deposit of at least 5% of the value equal to 60% of the market purchase price.
• Use the home as the owner’s principal residence.

Construction of the Heather Lands AHI project is expected to begin in 2025. Unit prices will be determined at time of sale. If units were to be sold under current market conditions under this Initiative, examples of pricing using the 60/40 purchase financing arrangement could be as follows:

• Studio unit, market price $620,000, AHI buyer’s 60% private financing is $372,000, Province initially finances $248,000
• One bedroom, market price $850,000, AHI buyer’s 60% private financing is $510,000, Province initially finances $340,000
• Two bedrooms, market price $1,300,000, AHI buyer’s 60% private financing is $780,000, Province initially finances $520,000
• Three bedrooms, market price $1,500,000, AHI buyer’s 60% private financing is $900,000, Province initially finances $600,000

Working with the MST Nations on this Initiative is part of the Province’s ongoing actions to tackle the housing crisis and deliver more homes for people, quicker.

Since 2017, the Province has more than 84,000 homes delivered or underway. Recent strong actions taken to fix outdated zoning laws and crack down on speculators are expected to help deliver hundreds of thousands of more homes over the next decade.

Quotes:

Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing –

“For too long, speculators and investors were put ahead of first-time homebuyers living and working in Vancouver. This has driven up the cost of down payments and mortgages and pushed home ownership out of reach for too many. We jumped at the opportunity to partner with the MST Nations in this Initiative, and we’re going to keep working to put home ownership within reach and provide more affordable housing options for people.”

Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation –

“First Nations are important partners in tackling some of the biggest issues of our time, from climate change to housing, and Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations are showing real leadership through the Heather Lands housing development. Not only will this benefit people of British Columbia and Vancouver, but it also creates a space for Indigenous art, architecture and design in Vancouver’s landscape, creating healthy communities and economic opportunities where we can all feel the benefits now and in the future.”

Ken Sim, mayor of Vancouver –

“The city welcomes the opportunity to work with the Province, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations to explore possibilities to create vibrant, inclusive spaces that honour the past and bring positive impacts for all who call Vancouver home.”

To better protect people and improve community defences against climate change, the Province is providing funding to communities across British Columbia for disaster risk resilience and climate-adaptation projects.

“Climate change is no longer a future concern, it’s happening now and we’re seeing its impact all over British Columbia,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “Through disaster mitigation funding, our government is committed to helping communities become more resilient by empowering local governments to adapt to the changing climate and better protect themselves and their residents against future climate challenges.”

Sixty-five communities will receive approximately $56 million for 78 projects from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) through the Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Adaptation stream. This funding will help communities tackle current vulnerabilities, minimize the risk of future disasters and support communities to make informed decisions.

Funding includes approximately $1.2 million through the program’s October 2023 intake to tackle drought conditions in the Sunshine Coast Regional District by supporting the shíshálh Nation’s Lower Crown Reservoir project. The reservoir will capture water from Chapman Creek to improve access to water and increase water security for people living in the region.

“We want to thank the Province for their support and funding to move the water security project for the Sunshine Coast along,” said Chief Lenora Joe, shíshálh Nation. “By working with our partners at the Sunshine Coast Regional District, we know we can make transformative change creating a better future for all residents. It is only through unifying our communities and working with partners like B.C., that we can tackle climate change and other significant challenges of our time.”

Other projects include:

• creating a green corridor by installing rain gardens, planting trees and native plants around Tillicum Elementary school in Saanich to reduce heat, help mitigate flooding and cut carbon emissions for the entire Tillicum community;
• designing disaster-risk and policy-assessment models in Gibsons to inform planning and policy around risks from climate-related issues such as flooding, erosion and salt-water intrusion to lessen future emergency costs and adapt to climate change;
• protecting essential wastewater infrastructure in the northern Village of Lumby by reinforcing riverbanks near the treatment lagoons to improve the longevity of flood mitigation and better serve the local area; and
• preventing soil erosion and protecting riverbanks in Vanderhoof by planting willow saplings along the Nechako River and Stoney Creek to reduce damage downstream, preserve nearby communities and protect the eco-sensitive area to safeguard water systems from climate-related threats.

The Province has invested $369 million into the CEPF since it was established in 2017. Approximately $279 million has been provided to local governments and First Nations through the CEPF for approximately 2,100 projects. This includes approximately $176 million to support disaster-mitigation and climate-adaptation projects.

The CEPF supports local governments and First Nations to better prepare for disasters and reduce risks from natural hazards in a changing climate in several categories. In addition to disaster-risk reduction and climate adaptation, other categories include:

• volunteer and composite fire department equipment and training;
• emergency operations centre equipment and training;
• public notification and evacuation-route planning;
• Indigenous cultural safety and cultural-humility training; and
• emergency support-services equipment and training.

The CEPF is administered by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) on behalf of the Province.

Brampton, ON – No Frills® and Maxi^MD, Canada’s popular hard discount grocery retailers, are thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with Cricket Canada as its Official Grocery Partner.

“As Canada’s fastest-growing sport, cricket has captured the hearts of many and brings communities together through the power of teamwork, passion and a shared love for the game,” said Melanie Singh, President of Hard Discount, Loblaw Companies. “We look forward to working closely with Cricket Canada to bring customers and fans closer to the sport they love and ensuring our contributions make a meaningful and lasting impact.”

This partnership establishes No Frills® as a key sponsor for select international matches organized by Cricket Canada on Canadian soil. The inaugural event under this new partnership will be the No Frills® T20 Cup, an international tri-nation T20 cricket series featuring Canada, Nepal, and Oman. Set to take place later this month at the Maple Leaf Cricket Ground in King City, Ontario; this series promises to deliver thrilling cricket action to fans across Canada and further elevate the sport’s profile in North America.

Through this partnership, No Frills® and Maxi^MD will support and invest in the growth of cricket in Canada. This includes a range of experiential activations in-store and at Cricket Canada events, as well as National Team matches.

Amjad Bajwa, President of Cricket Canada, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “Cricket Canada is thrilled to partner with iconic Canadian grocery brands that are so entrenched in the daily life of so many Canadians. No Frills® and Maxi^MD share our commitment to community and accessibility. This exciting new partnership represents a significant step in our mission to not only enhance our National Teams and programs but also to grow the sport and help make cricket more accessible to Canadians from all walks of life.”

For more information on the No Frills® T20 Cup, including match schedules, visit Cricket Canada’s official digital channels or buy tickets directly here.

About Loblaw Companies Limited

Loblaw Companies Limited brings food, pharmacy, beauty, apparel and financial services to customers through many of Canada’s favourite and most-trusted brands: President’s Choice®, No Name®, Loblaws®, Shoppers Drug Mart®, Maxi (md) No Frills®, Real Canadian Superstore®, T&T®, Joe Fresh®, PC Express™ and PC Financial®. The Company’s loyalty program, PC Optimum™, has more than 16 million active members and is one of Canada’s largest and best-loved reward programs.

Loblaw’s purpose is to help Canadians live life well. It makes good food affordable, health, beauty and wellness accessible, saving for the future possible, and essential style achievable.

About Cricket Canada

Cricket Canada is the official governing body for the sport of cricket in Canada, overseeing and promoting the development of the game at all levels. With a focus on inclusivity and excellence, Cricket Canada is dedicated to fostering a vibrant cricketing community and achieving success on the international stage. Cricket Canada is recognized by the International Cricket Council, the Government of Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Media inquiries:

Loblaw –  pr@loblaw.ca

Cricket Canada – greg@junctioncommunications.com