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Alberta

Province pours millions into bridging programs for foreign trained nurses

Published

1 year ago

7 minute read

Investing in nursing skills training

Alberta’s government is investing $11 million in nurse bridging programs for internationally educated nurses.

There is a growing need for health care professionals to help address current and future demand throughout the health care system. Alberta’s post-secondaries play an important role in ensuring there are enough qualified nurses when and where Albertans need them.

Through this funding, internationally educated nurses will have access to an additional 1,221 spaces at post-secondary institutions so they can complete the programs they need for certification in Alberta.

“Investing in more seats in bridging programs helps internationally educated nurses get to work in our communities and meet Alberta’s need for highly skilled and dedicated health care workers. Our post-secondary institutions are valued partners in meeting that need, both in their home communities and across the province.”

Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education

This funding is enabling Alberta’s government to create 848 new registered nurse pathway seats and 373 new licensed practical nurse seats over three years to help nurses who were trained in other countries become licensed to practice nursing in Alberta. This builds on the more than 600 new seats for registered nurse and licensed practical nurse bridging programs announced in February.

“Adding additional seats for nurse bridging programs is a vital step towards addressing the growing demand for health care professionals in our province. Internationally educated nurses play a crucial role in meeting the health care needs of Albertans and this initiative will help them integrate more easily into communities across our province.”

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

“Lethbridge will play a major role in this program, as it is uniquely positioned with two leading post-secondary institutions that will be connected to almost one-quarter of the new seats and will help open opportunities for nurses outside of Alberta’s major centres.”

Nathan Neudorf, MLA for Lethbridge-East

“The College of Registered Nurses of Alberta supports the announcement of the investment to create additional seats in bridging programs for internationally educated nurses. The college looks forward to seeing the impact this has on strengthening the health care ecosystem in Alberta.”

Joy Peacock, chief executive officer and registrar, College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA)

Alberta’s government is also investing $3 million for planning and design work at University Hall at the University of Lethbridge. Known for its award-winning design and being the first building built on campus, its former lab spaces will be modernized to better suit the needs of the growing university.

“Investments in initiatives that enhance Alberta’s health care system are of utmost importance. Access to a high-quality health care system not only promotes individual well-being but also plays a pivotal role in fortifying the resilience of Alberta’s communities.”

Digvir Jayas, president and vice-chancellor, University of Lethbridge

“We are always looking for innovative ways to enhance and expand program access for students. This is a great example of collaboration between the provincial government, the Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge.”

Brad Donaldson, president, Lethbridge College

Quick facts

  • The $11 million over the next three years will create 1,221 additional seats for nurse bridging programs at:
  • $2.4 million – University of Lethbridge/Lethbridge College: 100 seats
  • $2.6 million – Lethbridge College partnering with Bow Valley College: 108 seats
  • $0.5 million – Bow Valley College: 96 seats
  • $0.5 million – Northwestern Polytechnic: 96 seats
  • $0.5 million – Portage College: 96 seats
  • $0.5 million – Keyano College: 96 seats
  • $2.4 million – MacEwan University: 364 seats
  • $0.5 million – Keyano College partnering with NorQuest College: 40 seats
  • $0.6 million – Red Deer Polytechnic partnering with NorQuest College: 135 seats
  • $0.4 million – NorQuest College: 90 seats
  • Under Budget 2023, Alberta’s government is also investing $7.8 million annually to fund non-repayable financial assistance for internationally educated nurses.
  • Eligible internationally educated nurses can access as much as $30,000 over five years to offset the costs of nursing bridging programs, including tuition. The bursary is non-repayable for those who agree to live and work in rural Alberta as a nurse after graduation for a period of one year for every $6,000 in assistance provided.
  • Budget 2023 investments at University of Lethbridge:
  • Alberta’s government is investing $3 million in planning funding to improve the facility’s energy efficiency and operating sustainability.
  • The funding will support the next phase of the destination project to repurpose vacant buildings and will look for opportunities to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and maximize energy efficiency – all to better meet the needs of students in the future.
  • Budget 2023 invests:
    • $1 million over three years to create 100 new seats in the bridge to Canadian nursing for internationally educated nurses program in collaboration with Lethbridge College.
    • $0.6 million over three years to create 16 seats in the bachelor of nursing program in collaboration with Lethbridge College.
    • $1.7 million over three years to create 40 new seats in the bachelor of science in computer science program.
    • $0.3 million over three years to create 35 new seats in the graduate certificate in data science.
    • Total: $3.6 million
  • Budget 2023 investments in southern Alberta (University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge College and Medicine Hat College):
    • Targeted enrolment expansion: $3.9 million to create 169 new seats in high-demand programs
    • Tech talent funding: $2.1 million to create 135 seats in high-demand technology programs
    • Internationally educated nurses:
      • $2.4 million to create 100 new seats in a collaborative bridging program for internationally educated nurses at the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College.
      • $2.6 million to create 108 new seats in the Bow Valley College practical nurse diploma program at Lethbridge College.
    • Apprenticeship funding: $2.7 million to support seats for apprentices
    • Capital maintenance and renewal funding: $10.9 million to update campus facilities and improve student experiences
    • Total: $24.6 million
Related Topics:

This is a news release from the Government of Alberta.

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Constitutional lawyer spearheading separation from Ottawa urges Albertans to lobby Premier Smith for referendum

Published on March 18, 2025

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Conspiracy Facts With Jeffrey Rath Jeffrey Rath

FREE ALBERTA NOW!

If one recalls their history, revolutions have started over the rallying cry of “no taxation without representation.”

The facts referred to below were provided by a, well educated, fellow Albertan who has culled these facts and statistics from available public records.

In Canada, of the 338 Members of Parliament, Alberta gets 34 MPs. If Alberta received the MP per population ratio of the Maritime provinces, it would get 63 MPs. If Alberta followed the formula for the “Province of Prince Edward Island” it would have 107 MPs.

Representation in the Senate is more fair to regions than the House of Commons, but Senators are not elected (as requested by western provinces), they are appointed by the Prime Minister and they serve until age 75 with no term limits. As the Liberals have formed government more often than Conservatives, the Senate is dominated by Liberals bent on hollowing out the economy of Alberta for the benefit of non-Albertans.

The makeup of the Supreme Court discriminates against Alberta; of 9 judges, Quebec and Ontario get 6. Alberta seldom receives fair settlements from the Supreme Court (all 4 western provinces get only 2 Justices)

Alberta sends $3 Billion annually more to Ottawa for the pension plan than it gets back in benefits.

In federal taxes, Alberta sends over $60 billion per year to Ottawa, and gets less than half of that back in “services”. These so called “services” include a Firearms Registry that exists only to strip Albertans of their rights to own personal property. Most so called “federal services” are seen by most Albertans as either being completely unnecessary or easily replaced by Alberta Government employees within current staffing levels.

Under the Equalization program Alberta has transferred at least $700 billion to Eastern Canada (2/3 to Quebec), and Quebec is guaranteed to receive $10 billion in payments per year regardless of Alberta’s fiscal status on an annual basis.

An interesting side note is regarding the Equalization program. Alberta, as a “have” province, gives Billions of dollars annually to “have not” provinces. In fact, Quebec and New Brunswick have huge natural gas reserves. Bureaucrats in those provinces decide it’s easier to receive welfare payments from Alberta than to develop and sell their own resources. The financial revenue is the same, but Equalization does not generate jobs. Residents of those provinces would benefit immensely from Alberta taking itself out of the present system.

Albertans are over taxed, over governed and over regulated by politicians that are clearly hostile to the interests of Alberta and the interests of the citizens of the soon to be independent Commonwealth of Alberta.

The day that Alberta leaves Canada Albertans will no longer be subject to Canadian Federal Income Tax, Carbon Tax, Excise Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Goods and Services Tax and all other Federal Levies and Tariffs including the dairy monopoly and price fixing scheme imposed by Ottawa on Alberta Farmers, Ranchers and Indigenous People. An Additional 60 BILLION a year in tax revenue will remain in Alberta kicking off economic growth in Alberta unseen in Alberta’s history. Alberta’s independence will create an independent Commonwealth with the highest GDP per capita of any country in the world. Albertans will be finally free from all of the debt and over taxation created by idiotic politicians from Quebec and Ontario who literally believe that punitive taxes on working Alberta families will change the weather.

Albertans will enjoy at LEAST a 30% jump in their standard of living and savings as a result of no longer having to support ungrateful, greedy politicians in Quebec, Ontario who take their marching orders from the self proclaimed “Laurentian Elite” and the World Economic Forum.

Every Albertan who cares about the prosperity of their family needs to write Premier Danielle Smith and request that she consult be with the Alberta Prosperity Project as to the form of the referendum question and set a referendum on independence PRIOR TO THE 15th of December of 2025.

Adult citizens of Alberta need to be allowed to vote THIS YEAR in a referendum to express their will as free, adult citizens as to whether they wish to continue to be misgoverned by politicians more beholden to foreign (non-Alberta) interests than they are to the interests of Alberta Families.

Jeffrey R.W. Rath B.A. (Hons.), LL.B. (Hons.)

Foothills, Alberta

March 17, 2025

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Premier Danielle Smith calls for federal election

Published on March 14, 2025

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Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement on the swearing in of Canada’s 24th Prime Minister and his new federal cabinet.

“Now that Prime Minister Mark Carney has been officially sworn in, his first item of business should be to call a general election.

“I am extremely concerned that this cabinet includes most of same ministers responsible for the most damaging government policies levelled by Ottawa against Alberta in our over 100-year history. We are gravely concerned that plans to significantly increase the industrial carbon tax will be just as damaging to Alberta’s economy as the consumer carbon tax has been.

“The Prime Minister also has not yet condemned harmful policies such as:

  • The proposed emissions cap which continues to threaten our energy sector.
  • Bill C-69 which still hampers critical infrastructure projects.
  • Failed bail policies which continue to put our communities at risk, undermining the safety and security that Albertans deserve.
  • Gun bans that target law-abiding hunters and sport shooters.
  • Open border policies which are allowing over two million people per year to enter Canada.
  • The plastics ban which puts billions of dollars of investment and thousands of jobs at risk.
  • Bill C-59 which bans businesses from communicating about their environmental goals.
  • The electric vehicle mandate which calls for 100 percent of new vehicles sold to be electric by 2035.
  • The Sustainable Jobs Act, which aims to transition energy workers to a net zero economy as they work to shut down the energy sector.

“Our province has always been a leader in innovation, economic growth, and responsible resource development. We will continue to stand up for our industries, push back against policies that unfairly target Alberta, and fight for a fair deal within Confederation.

“The Prime Minister must put Canada first and call an election immediately to ensure that whoever is leading this country has a four year mandate from all Canadians, especially in light of the ongoing tariff conflict with the U.S.”

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