The B.C. government is expanding incentives for health-care professionals to cover the South Okanagan, just days after the emergency department in Oliver had yet another temporary closure.

The Provincial Rural Retention Incentive (PRRI) was announced in May to add 56 additional communities such as Princeton and Keremeos to 18 previously part of a trial program.

This incentive should not be confused with the Rural Retention Program, which is intended to attract doctors and keep them in rural communities. 

The PRRI covers health-care workers across a range of fields, such as nurses and medical technicians, but does not include physicians. 

To be eligible, healthcare workers must be employed in regular positions by Interior Health or an eligible affiliate employer, including but not limited to: members of the BC Nurses Union, the Health Sciences Association, the Hospital Employees Union and the BC Government Employees鈥� Union.

With the expansion of the PRRI program, around 200 employees will be eligible to receive the additional funding, with the majority currently working at the South Okanagan General Hospital, according to the government's press release.

"Healthcare workers are essential to the continued delivery of core healthcare services in the south Okanagan,鈥� said Oliver Mayor Martin Johansen. 鈥淓xpanding the incentive program to our region will help to stabilize access to health care for residents and is a much-appreciated investment in our communities.鈥�

The constant closures of the emergency department at the South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver have been subject to scrutiny and severe criticism by locals, including Johansen. 

The emergency department closed for more than 24 hours from Aug. 9 to 10, due to a lack of physicians, according to Interior Health. Closures have plagued the department for the last two years.

鈥淲hen we support and invest in nurses, allied health and clinical support workers, we鈥檙e strengthening the workforce and people鈥檚 confidence in our public health system,鈥� said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. 鈥淭he decision to expand the PRRI hiring incentives to the south Okanagan will help bring more healthcare professionals to work where they鈥檙e in high demand and bolster care throughout the region, including at the South Okanagan General Hospital.鈥�

The incentives will be retroactive to April 1, 2024, and are currently scheduled to run until March 31, 2025. 

On May 29, Dix was joined by Premier David Eby to announce an upcoming expansion of the South Okanagan and Similkameen Primary Care Network, which had six additional healthcare positions added to at the time 36 that were working in the network.