Alberta
Province pours millions into bridging programs for foreign trained nurses
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.”
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.”
“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.”
“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.”
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.”
“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.”
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
The new Red Deer Justice Centre will help Albertans resolve their legal matters faster.
Albertans deserve to have access to a fair, accessible and transparent justice system. Modernizing Alberta’s courthouse infrastructure will help make sure Alberta’s justice system runs efficiently and meets the needs of the province’s growing population.
Alberta’s government has invested $191 million to build the new Red Deer Justice Centre, increasing the number of courtrooms from eight to 12, allowing more cases to be heard at one time.
“Modern, accessible courthouses and streamlined services not only strengthen our justice
system – they build safer, stronger communities across the province. Investing in the new Red Deer Justice Centre is vital to helping our justice system operate more efficiently, and will give people in Red Deer and across central Alberta better access to justice.”
Government of Alberta and Judiciary representatives with special guests at the Red Deer Justice Centre plaque unveiling event April 22, 2025.
On March 3, all court services in Red Deer began operating out of the new justice centre. The new justice centre has 12 courtrooms fully built and equipped with video-conference equipment to allow witnesses to attend remotely if they cannot travel, and vulnerable witnesses to testify from outside the courtroom.
The new justice centre also has spaces for people taking alternative approaches to the traditional courtroom trial process, with the three new suites for judicial dispute resolution services, a specific suite for other dispute resolution services, such as family mediation and civil mediation, and a new Indigenous courtroom with dedicated venting for smudging purposes.
“We are very excited about this new courthouse for central Alberta. Investing in the places where people seek justice shows respect for the rights of all Albertans. The Red Deer Justice Centre fills a significant infrastructure need for this rapidly growing part of the province. It is also an important symbol of the rule of law, meaning that none of us are above the law, and there is an independent judiciary to decide disputes. This is essential for a healthy functioning democracy.”
“Public safety and access to justice go hand in hand. With this investment in the new Red Deer Justice Centre, Alberta’s government is ensuring that communities are safer, legal matters are resolved more efficiently and all Albertans get the support they need.”
“This state-of-the-art facility will serve the people of Red Deer and surrounding communities for generations. Our team at Infrastructure is incredibly proud of the work done to plan, design and build this project. I want to thank everyone, at all levels, who helped make this project a reality.”
Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.
Quick facts
- The new Red Deer Justice Centre is 312,000 sq ft (29,000 m2). (The old courthouse is 98,780 sq ft (9,177 m2)).
- The approved project funding for the Red Deer Justice Centre is about $191 million.
From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill
Amid the economic uncertainty fuelled by Trump’s trade war, its perhaps more important than ever to understand Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and its outsized contribution to programs such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
From 1981 to 2022, Albertan’s net contribution to the CPP—meaning the amount Albertans paid into the program over and above what retirees in Alberta received in CPP payments—was $53.6 billion. In 2022 (the latest year of available data), Albertans’ net contribution to the CPP was $3.0 billion.
During that same period (1981 to 2022), British Columbia was the only other province where residents paid more into the CPP than retirees received in benefits—and Alberta’s contribution was six times greater than B.C.’s contribution. Put differently, residents in seven out of the nine provinces that participate in the CPP (Quebec has its own plan) receive more back in benefits than they contribute to the program.
Albertans pay an outsized contribution to federal and national programs, including the CPP because of the province’s relatively high rates of employment, higher average incomes and younger population (i.e. more workers pay into the CPP and less retirees take from it).
Put simply, Albertan workers have been helping fund the retirement of Canadians from coast to coast for decades, and without Alberta, the CPP would look much different.
How different?
If Alberta withdrew from the CPP and established its own standalone provincial pension plan, Alberta workers would receive the same retirement benefits but at a lower cost (i.e. lower CPP contribution rate deducted from our paycheques) than other Canadians, while the contribution rate—essentially the CPP tax rate—to fund the program would likely need to increase for the rest of the country to maintain the same benefits.
And given current demographic projections, immigration patterns and Alberta’s long history of leading the provinces in economic growth, Albertan workers will likely continue to pay more into the CPP than Albertan retirees get back from it.
Therefore, considering Alberta’s crucial role in national programs, the next federal government—whoever that may be—should undo and prevent policies that negatively impact the province and Albertans ability to contribute to Canada. Think of Bill C-69 (which imposes complex, uncertain and onerous review requirements on major energy projects), Bill C-48 (which bans large oil tankers off B.C.’s northern coast and limits access to Asian markets), an arbitrary cap on oil and gas emissions, numerous other “net-zero” targets, and so on.
Canada faces serious economic challenges, including a trade war with the United States. In times like this, it’s important to remember Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and the outsized contributions of Alberta workers to the wellbeing of Canadians across the country.
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