CANADA, June 29 - Janet Routledge, MLA for Burnaby North –

“Health care is a demanding field, and all British Columbians benefit from access to highly skilled and exceptionally trained professionals. BCIT is a leader in the sector, and the new BCIT Health Sciences Centre will help thousands of students get the training they need to succeed in the classroom and throughout their careers.”

Carla Lucero, BCIT student, bachelor of science in nursing –

“The BCIT Health Sciences Centre comes with an expansion of resources that are critical in ensuring the current and future generation of health-care professionals are well supported to care for the people in our province. I look forward to honing my skills using cutting-edge technology and to be part of an industry that makes a long-term difference.”

Victoria Lee, president and CEO, Fraser Health Authority –

“Compassionate staff and medical staff who are dedicated to excellence in their profession with a solid foundation of knowledge, experience and education are central to delivering Fraser Health’s vision of Better Health and Best in Health Care. I commend BCIT and the Province for investing in future health professionals, and for the positive impact its graduates will have on the health of people across our region.”

Fiona Dalton, president and CEO, Providence Health Authority –

“Today’s students are our future workforce. BCIT’s visionary new Health Sciences Centre strengthens British Columbia’s competitive advantage by offering a 21st-century education and training facility for diverse professions in health-care sciences. Health-care professionals and technicians will continue to be in high demand in the coming years. The BCIT Health Sciences Centre will offer students meaningful and expert skill-building and learning experiences. Students will attain competencies that will result in improved supports and health-care outcomes for British Columbians. With the development of the new St. Paul’s Hospital and Health Campus underway, Providence Health Care is excited and confident BCIT’s new centre will provide the skilled talent and highly professional workforce to support innovative health care to patients for decades to come.”

David Podmore, chair, INSPIRE Campaign and president; CEO, Concert Properties –

“Through the INSPIRE fundraising campaign, we had a vision to transform the infrastructure at BCIT and empower our students to become the leaders our province needs. With the generous support of our government and donors across several sectors, that vision has become a reality with the new BCIT Health Sciences Centre. The centre is the first of many projects that make up our bold vision, and we look forward to continuing to inspire the next generation of learning spaces and setting the standard for applied education.”