The Central Interior Rural Division (CIRD) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Gibraltar Mines Ltd (Gibraltar), bringing together industry and healthcare to support physician and nurse practitioner recruitment, training, and retention across the Cariboo-Chilcotin region.
The partnership is founded on a shared commitment to improving access to health care in the region by supporting the physicians, nurse practitioners, and learners who provide care in our communities. While several collaborative initiatives are currently being explored, the first project is already making a meaningful impact.
Gibraltar has provided a fully furnished home that the Division will use to accommodate medical students, nurse practitioner students, resident physicians, and locum physicians during their placements in Williams Lake.
Access to suitable short-term accommodation has long been a challenge for learners and visiting healthcare providers. The new housing will help address a significant gap, making it easier to welcome medical and nurse practitioner learners and temporary physicians into the community while supporting local recruitment and retention efforts.
The Division will coordinate bookings, manage the accommodation schedule, and support guests throughout their stay, while Gibraltar is providing the home as part of its commitment to strengthening health care in the region.
"This partnership is an outstanding example of what can happen when organizations come together around a shared goal," said Dr. Jacques Neuhoff, CIRD Board Chair. "Recruiting and retaining physicians and nurse practitioners takes more than attracting individuals—it takes communities, organizations, and partners working together to create the conditions that help people choose to come here and stay."
For Gibraltar, the initiative reflects an investment in the long-term health and well-being of the communities where its employees and their families live and work.
"Supporting access to health care is an investment in the long-term strength of our communities, and we're proud to partner with the Central Interior Rural Division on an initiative that will have lasting benefits for the region," Darren Mawhinney, Gibraltar General Manager. “Partnerships like this help strengthen our communities and improve quality of life for the people who call the Cariboo home”. The accommodation will support medical students, nurse practitioner students, and resident physicians completing rural training experiences, as well as locum physicians providing temporary coverage for local practices. These experiences often play an important role in encouraging healthcare providers to establish long-term practices in rural communities.
"This is just the beginning," added Neuhoff. "We're excited about the opportunities this partnership creates. By working together, we're building practical solutions that strengthen health care for everyone in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region."
About The Central Interior Rural Division
The Central Interior Rural Division of Family Practice has been supporting family doctors and nurse practitioners (NPs) across the Cariboo-Chilcotin region since 2012. Our business is supporting primary care which is the full spectrum of health care people receive from local family doctors and NPs. A key focus of our work is recruiting and retaining doctors and NPs in our communities, and we work with partners to address barriers that can make it difficult to attract and keep doctors and NPs in rural areas. We serve as the backbone infrastructure that supports primary care in our region.
About Gibraltar Mines Ltd.
Trekor Metals Limited has owned and operated the Gibraltar copper mine north of Williams Lake for more than 20-years, and is one of the largest employers in the Cariboo region. Gibraltar is a long-time supporter of community programs, investing in initiatives, sponsorships, and charities that advance education, health and wellness, and Indigenous communities.
