As faculty strikes, N.S. Premier Tim Houston announces medical school for Cape Breton University
For the first time in a while, a Nova Scotia Premier gave his State of the Province address outside of Halifax.
Tim Houston wasted little time making the day's big announcement to the capacity crowd at the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion in Sydney.
The premier said the province will help open a medical school at Cape Breton University (CBU), the same post-secondary institution that saw faculty go on strike Friday. Houston didn’t get into specifics about funding for the medical school.
"By no later than fall 2025, there will be a medical school in Cape Breton,” Houston said, noting the memorandum of understanding is now in place between Dalhousie University and CBU. “They'll work together to get the campus here."
For CBU President and Vice-Chancellor David Dingwall, the opening of a medical school on the island is “a game-changer.”
“It’s an added solution to our health-care situation,” said Dingwall.
Dingwall said one of the biggest challenges will be to address building capacity. He added there are plans in the works to use existing space on and around campus.
With the Nova Scotia Community College Marconi campus moving to a new facility in downtown Sydney, Dingwall says CBU officials are “pretty well convinced” they could transform the building into the school of nursing and the school of social work. He’s also optimistic the facility can provide a 10,000-person clinic for the community.
The announcement received a standing ovation and some approval from Nova Scotia's opposition leader.
"Long-term, this may be able to help with doctor training and recruitment to rural areas,” said Liberal Leader Zach Churchill. “We do have to see a turn-around though in the statistics that we're seeing now."
The premier went on to address the state of health care and the province's broken emergency rooms, telling the crowd he will do whatever it takes to find a fix.
"[The] 2023 budget will give the full accounting of the cost expectations around health care,” Houston said. “But, there's big issues in the health-care system. Some of them are just structural things, some require financial investment. Whatever the root cause of it, we're focused on fixing it."
Dingwall said the new CBU medical school would graduate up to 30 students per year for the first six years. Part of the school's focus, he added, will be to train doctors to work in rural and Indigenous communities.
Meanwhile, Houston said the province will need federal help to fix health care. He said he plans to talk to the Prime Minister about it when he sees him next week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.