The federal government will triple the amount of compensation offered to Indigenous Services Canada nurses who work in remote and isolated areas, with the aim of increasing the recruitment and retention of nurses in 50 communities in Canada, including that of Lac-Rapide, in Outaouais.
“The further you get from a major center where there are permanent clinics and hospitals, the more difficult it is to attract people to work, stay and practice in these communities,” the minister said on Tuesday. of Indigenous Services, Patty Hajdu, during a virtual press briefing.
The announced improvement, which stems from an agreement between Ottawa and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, plans to increase the recruitment allowance from $2,250 to $6,750. Then each nurse who remained in the job for 12 months will receive $9,750 and $16,500 for each additional year of service.
In Quebec, these premiums will apply in the community of Lac-Rapide, in Outaouais. Currently, three nurses are on duty there, said Leila Gillis, deputy chief nursing administrator at Indigenous Services Canada.
“We are constantly recruiting in partnership with our operational office in Quebec in terms of identifying their needs and providing the necessary nurses,” she said.
The incentive also applies to 24 communities in Ontario, 21 in Manitoba and four in Alberta.
It is due to come into force at the beginning of September. It will expire at the end of March 2025 or when an agreement on a new collective agreement is reached.