Health Care
Rural BC at a Crossroads — Supporting Seniors to Age in Place
Rural British Columbia is aging rapidly. Keeping seniors safe, healthy and socially connected where they live — “aging in place” — requires more than goodwill: it needs targeted housing, transportation, home‑support and health workforce responses built for rural realities. This article synthesizes recent evidence and practice, highlights Alert Bay as a BC example, and sets…
Read MoreBudget 2026 – The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
The quick context Budget date: Feb 17, 2026. Provincial operating spending up $3.9B over the plan; deficits: $13.3B (2026/27), $12.2B, $11.4B. Taxpayer‑supported capital $37.7B over three years; taxpayer‑supported debt rising to ~$189B by 2028/29 (Budget tables summary, Part 1, pp.1–2, 11–12, 17). 2026_Budget_and_Fiscal_Plan The good (positive for rural, remote & First Nations): First Nations equity…
Read MoreExploring the Use of Ai in Health & IHSTS
THE RURAL HEALTH LINKED SECTORS Presentation Overviews: The Institute for Health System Transformation and Sustainability (IHSTS) presents the Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) Network: Uniting communities, healthcare providers, and partners across British Columbia to support type 2 diabetes. The presentation will explain why the T2D Network exists, how it operates, what programs and initiatives it oversees,…
Read MoreVirtual Health Supports | Webinar
This engaging session will spotlight innovative virtual health solutions transforming rural care in British Columbia Discover how virtual health services, including HealthLinkBC 8-1-1, are transforming rural care by improving access, reducing Emergency Department congestion, and enhancing health outcomes across British Columbia. Guest Speakers: Dr. Kendall Ho is a professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the…
Read MoreRural Health Linked Sectors | Community Acupuncture
How Community Acupuncture Can Help our Rural Health Care System
Read MoreThe State of Rural Canada
The State of Rural Canada report provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse challenges and opportunities facing rural, remote, and northern communities across the country. While each region has its unique context, several overarching themes emerge from this fifth version of the report that paint a picture of rural Canada as a complex mosaic of…
Read MoreVirtual Care on the Front Lines
How Real-Time Virtual Support is helping to save lives and transform healthcare for remote, rural and Indigenous communities across B.C. Dr. Dean Johnston was in his neurology clinic in downtown Vancouver when he received a worrying call from a colleague about a patient more than a thousand kilometres away in Fort Nelson, B.C. “There were…
Read MoreReal-Time Virtual Support
Relational Work Is the Work: Virtual Healthcare Transformation for Rural, Remote, and First Nations Communities in British Columbia The healthcare crisis across unceded First Nations territories in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in British Columbia (BC) is marked by persistent barriers to accessing care and support close to home. This commentary describes an exceptional story…
Read MoreStrongerBC for everyone – Investing in Rural Communities
The B.C. government has released StrongerBC: Good Lives in Strong Communities, a new vision that outlines investments to help build a brighter future for rural communities and the people who call them home. “If you’re looking for people to help cut through the noise and get a job done, my bet will always be on…
Read MoreBC Doctor Develops National Guide for the Greening of Health Care
The healthcare sector is among the most polluting, contributing 5 per cent of Canada’s total greenhouse gas. A Kimberley-based physician, Dr. Ilona Hale, and a team of health care professionals have produced a new resource, specifically aimed at clinicians called ‘Planetary Health for Primary Care’. “It’s an online guide for healthcare providers meant to make…
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