Saint John economic agency launches new campaign to attract medical professionals
Saint John’s economic development agency is making a pointed pitch to attract and retain medical professionals.
“From our standpoint it’s a new area of focus,” says Andrew Beckett, interim CEO of Envision Saint John.
The new campaign called ‘A Healthy Dose of Innovation in the Saint John Region’ markets the area as a hub for digital health and technological advancement, in addition to highlighting partnerships between the Saint John Regional Hospital and nearby post-secondary institutions. The campaign also touts the area’s quality of life and natural setting as selling points.
Beckett says the agency’s attention to healthcare is closely tied to the area’s economy as a whole.
“When we’re looking at population growth, access to healthcare is an absolute critical component to attracting and retaining people generally,” says Beckett. “We wanted to make sure that we were doing our part.”
The health care sector in Saint John employs about 8,300 people, or one out of every eight workers, and according to Statistics Canada, leads the area’s total payroll (about $432,000).
A panel discussion on the local recruitment of medical professionals was hosted by the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, following similar efforts from other communities.
“Money is great, but it’s about work opportunity, it’s about colleagues, it’s about creating a happy work environment and where people feel valued,” says Dr. David Marr, the Horizon Health Network’s medical director for the Saint John area. “That goes beyond money.”
About 50,500 New Brunswickers didn’t have a family physician last spring, according to figures provided by the province’s department of health. Updated numbers were not made available by the province on Wednesday.
For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Slovakia's populist prime minister shot in assassination attempt, shocking Europe before elections
Slovakia's populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was shot multiple times and gravely wounded Wednesday after a political event in an attempted assassination that shocked the small country and reverberated across Europe.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge slammed into a bridge pillar in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a smaller and separate island that is home to a university, officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION If you think you can’t focus for long, you’re right: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.