Backgrounder

The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia signed an amendment to the Aging with Dignity Agreement, providing British Columbia access more than $232 million in new funding to support Personal Support Workers (PSWs), also referred to as Health Care Assistants (HCAs) in BC. This funding is being provided over five years (2024-25 to 2028-29), extending the existing Aging with Dignity (AWD) Agreement by one year.

July 23, 2024

The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia signed an amendment to the Aging with Dignity Agreement, providing British Columbia access more than $232 million in new funding to support Personal Support Workers (PSWs), also referred to as Health Care Assistants (HCAs) in BC. This funding is being provided over five years (2024-25 to 2028-29), extending the existing Aging with Dignity (AWD) Agreement by one year.

Federal funding will help BC support compensation for nearly 13,000 PSW (HCA) full-time equivalents working in publicly funded long-term care (LTC) and assisted living (AL) facilities to strengthen the quality of care for BC’s most vulnerable. This investment will allow BC to work towards key recruitment and retention initiatives that will stabilize the workforce.

This amendment reflects the commitment made in 2023 through the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians plan to provide PTs with $1.7 billion to support PSW wage increases, as well as recruitment and retention of PSWs.

Progress on PSW initiatives and broader commitments to improve the healthcare system will be measured against targets that BC will publicly report on annually.

In addition to the funding provided through this amendment, $733 million was previously announced on February 12, 2024, with the signing of the original Canada-British Columbia Aging with Dignity Agreement, to help increase access to high quality home and community care and LTC for the residents of BC.