Whereas rural communities across British Columbia face significant challenges in retaining and attracting primary care providers, leading to gaps in essential healthcare services andor temporary primary care service closures; And whereas local governments and Indigenous communities in rural areas are often excluded from provincial decision-making processes that directly impact their ability to maintain and improve healthcare services: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province of British Columbia to convene a formal table that includes representatives from the UBCM, First Nations communities, local governments, and healthcare professionals to collaboratively design a framework for enabling local decision making around healthcare in rural areas; And be it further resolved that this table ensure local government, First Nations communities, and local healthcare professionals have a structured decision-making role in shaping healthcare strategies, workforce planning, and service delivery models that address the unique challenges of their rural communities.
Ministry of Health Thank you for your resolution regarding the need to strengthen local and Indigenous participation in health-care decision-making in rural British Columbia. The Province recognizes that many rural and remote communities face persistent challenges in attracting and retaining primary care providers, which can place pressure on access to essential services and, at times, result in temporary service disruptions. Health-care workforce shortages are being felt across the province, affecting both urban centres and rural and remote communities. As competition for health professionals increases, ensuring rural communities are supported in sustainable and meaningful ways is a priority. The Ministry of Health is addressing these challenges through its multi-year Health Human Resources HHR Strategy, which focuses on growing the overall workforce, improving recruitment and retention, and strengthening system capacity particularly in underserved communities. The Province agrees that local governments, Indigenous communities, and health-care professionals bring essential knowledge and lived experience to health-care planning in rural areas. Increasing Indigenous and rural representation within health-care education, training, and planning is an important part of building a workforce that reflects and remains in the communities it serves. British Columbia has made progress in this area through initiatives such as the University of British Columbias distributed rural medical program, the Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program, and northern cohorts for physical therapy and occupational therapy programs, which support train-and-stay pathways in rural and remote regions. The Ministry is currently refining a renewed provincial approach to improving health and wellness outcomes for rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. This work is being advanced through multiple, interconnected health-system priority streams and in collaboration with partners that have a strong and ongoing role in rural health planning and service delivery. These include: - The Rural Coordination Centre of BC RCCbc, which brings together health-care providers, administrators, community members, policymakers, educators, researchers, and sector partners to advance rural health equity. - The First Nations Health Authority FNHA, which partners with more than 200 First Nations across British Columbia and plays a central role in advancing Indigenous-led health planning, including through initiatives such as the Rural Voices Gathering. - The BC Rural Health Network BCRHN, which supports collaboration between rural health advocates and policymakers to strengthen rural health systems. - Post-secondary institutions, which are key partners in preparing health professionals to work and remain in rural and remote communities. Through these existing and evolving structures, the Province will continue to engage local governments, First Nations, health-care professionals, and community partners in shaping rural health strategies, workforce planning, and service delivery models. This collaborative approach is intended to ensure that provincial policy and investment decisions are informed by local context, Indigenous leadership, and the unique needs of rural communities across British Columbia.