HSP Professional Development Programs

The 2023-2024 HSP Professions Development Fund is now open for applications. 

Working in partnership with the government of British Columbia, Health Science Professional Bargaining Association has secured $3 million in new funding to support professional development for members covered by the collective agreement. The funding, first announced June 2022 and provided by the BC Ministry of Health, will allow members to pursue further specialization of skills in key professions.

The HSP Professional Development Fund is administered by the PEA on a first-come, first-served basis. All provisions of the HSP Collective Agreement continue to apply, including the leave provisions.

How to apply:

• Complete the 2023-2024 HSP Professional Development Fund Application Form and email it to PEA Finance Officer, Marc Joly. Make the subject line "HSP ProD 2024" to ensure your application is not delayed. 
• If your application is approved, you will need to submit a Direct Deposit Form by emailing PEA Finance Officer, Marc Joly  

We anticipate that, due to the volume of applications received, it may take several weeks to process your application. We thank you in advance for your patience.

Eligibility 

1. The applicant must be a PEA member covered by the HSP Collective Agreement.

2. The application must pertain to education/training commenced between September 1, 2023, and August 31, 2024.

3. The application must serve the purpose of at least one of the following three categories:

• on-going required professional development
• training and upgrading skills for members working in a profession experiencing shortage
• training and upgrading skills for members working in a profession in rural or remote location

4. The education/training must pertain to professional development in a health science professional discipline being practiced in the public health care system.

5. Eligible expenses for reimbursement include tuition fees, registration fees, cost of required books/materials, and other reasonable education-related expenses and may also include the reasonable costs of travel and accommodation if the applicant must travel or temporarily relocate to attend education/training or related clinical placement. There is a maximum $2500 cap (from the total $10,000 possible amount) per member for reimbursement of eligible travel expenses. Only travel within Canada or the United States is eligible.

For transportation, there is a cap of $750 total for combined expenses such as airfare, mileage, ground transportation, parking, bus fare, ferry costs etc. Mileage is calculated at $.61/km. For travel in town, the fund will reimburse for km that are calculated at the difference between the member's normal commute from home to work, and the commute from home to training.

Eligibility for hotel or other accommodation is based on there being a minimum distance of 25 kilometres between the applicant's residence and the location of the in-person education/training provider. Eligible accommodation expenses will be reimbursed up to the maximum cap of $1750 with the following limitations:

- Eligible hotel accommodation reimbursement is capped at a maximum of $250.00 CAD per night for the duration of the event, to a maximum of seven nights (7 x $250 = $1750);

- If it is necessary to arrive at the education/training location on the day preceding its start time, so as to be able to attend at the start time, eligibility for hotel accommodation reimbursement will include the date immediately preceding the event;

- If it is necessary to stay at the hotel for the night following the completion of the event because there is no transportation option that permits the applicant to arrive home before 10:30 pm on that date, eligibility for hotel accommodation reimbursement will include that night's accommodation.

- If a member must relocate for a longer duration training period (eg clinical placement, course/training longer duration not offered locally) they may submit accommodation expenses for consideration. Such expenses if deemed eligible will be reimbursed up to the maximum accommodation cap of $1750.

See Funding Guidelines below for the funding cap per member.

6. Applications must be received by August 31, 2024, for this funding period and will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Funding Guidelines

1. When an application is deemed to satisfy the eligibility criteria, it will be approved subject to sufficient funding remaining available.

 2. Applicants must not apply for funding that they have received, or anticipate receiving, from any other source for any cost related to this application for funding. If additional funding from other sources is approved AFTER, applicants must disclose it when submitting receipts and cannot claim it again.

 3. The PEA will inform applicants by email of the approved amount, if any.

4. Approved applicants must provide detailed receipts for all claimed expenses.  Receipts must be submitted in a timely manner and, in any event, by the deadline specified in the email.  Reimbursement will only be made following an applicant’s submission of satisfactory receipts up to the approved amount. US dollar amounts must be accompanied by documentation that shows the actual converted amount paid in Canadian dollars (for example a credit card statement)

 5. Following receipt of the applicant’s proof of payment of approved, eligible expenses, the fund will reimburse the applicant for those actual costs. A member is permitted to make multiple applications to this fund, subject to the $10,000.00 cap per member. PEA has sole discretion lowering the maximum available per member, at any time, to ensure as many members as possible have the opportunity to receive funding.

6. Total funding available is limited. At PEA’s discretion, applicants may be approved for less than the funding amount applied for.