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NDP's U.S. Nurse Recruitment Drive Falls Flat on Pay Gap Reality

Image credit:  BCHealthCareers.ca

Brennan Day, MLA for Courtenay-Comox and Critic for Rural and Seniors Health, is raising serious concerns about the BC NDP government’s latest announcement to recruit nurses from the United States, calling the plan “more about headlines than headcounts.”

According to WorkSafe BC, the average salary for Registered Nurses and Psychiatric Nurses in British Columbia is $93,852 CAD, with a take-home income of approximately $70,919 CAD for a single person. In contrast, nurses in West Coast U.S. states like California, Washington, and Oregon earn an average of $153,593 CAD per year, with a post-tax take-home of $117,577 CAD.

“That’s a $46,658 difference in take-home pay,” said Day.

“We’re asking American nurses to take a 40% pay cut, cross the border, and move to a province where housing is scarce and our own nurses are burning out in record numbers. This isn’t a plan. It’s wishful thinking.”

Day says the math speaks for itself: making $46,658 more south of the border makes BC a hard sell—even with the best of intentions.

“What this really is,” Day added, “is another episode in the NDP’s favourite reality show: Optics Over Outcomes. Instead of addressing root issues—like working conditions, rural staffing shortages, and wage competitiveness—they’re sending out press releases and hoping nobody checks the conversion rate.”

Day pointed to the chronic staffing gaps in rural communities and long-term care as proof that this government continues to prioritize communications strategy over a coherent healthcare strategy.

“If this government spent half as much time fixing the system as they do polishing announcements, we wouldn’t be in this mess,” said Day.

“Our seniors, our rural residents, and yes—our nurses—deserve better than this.”

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