Big Money, Broken System: Who Really Pays in B.C. Healthcare

 Big Money, Broken System: Who Really Pays in B.C. Healthcare

Hospitals in B.C. are scrambling to fill shifts—but who’s profiting, and who’s left overworked?

• Overtime for local nurses is being slashed to save money. Staff are exhausted, patient loads are higher, and care is delayed.
• Traveling nurses and agency staff get massive pay, travel perks, and even relocation bonuses—sometimes for shifts shorter than a full day.
• Foreign recruits from the U.S. are brought in with big incentives, funded from the same budget that’s cutting local overtime.

Meanwhile, patients face sky-high ambulance bills and expensive treatments, while pharmaceutical companies and private agencies drain billions.

The system isn’t broken because of a lack of nurses. It’s broken because money, incentives, and short-term fixes matter more than people’s health.

We’re paying the price with our wallets, our stress, and our dignity. Healthcare should be about care—not profit.