OTTAWA — As rural communities struggle to retain local medical and community services, officials are hoping thousands of dollars in student debt relief will entice professionals to set up shop.
New rules, set to take effect on Nov. 1, would allow dentists, psychologists, teachers and others to write off thousands in student debt in exchange for plying their trades in underserved rural and remote communities.
Announced by the Department of Employment, and reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, the proposed amendments to the Canada Student Loans Act would see upwards of $60,000 in loan forgiveness for dentists, pharmacists and psychologists over five years.
Midwives, physiotherapists, teachers and social workers would see up to $30,000 in their student debts forgiven under the program, as well as up to $15,000 for dental hygienists, early childhood educators and personal support workers.
“This proposal would provide financial incentives for workers in these sectors to relocate to underserved rural or remote communities,” reads a department impact analysis report.
“This would help ensure Canadians who live in these communities could increase the health care and social services they need.”
At a cost of $65.4 million annually, the program hopes to entice upwards of 2,800 professionals to hang a shingle in Canada’s small towns — and is similar to existing debt forgiveness programs luring doctors and nurses out of cities.
The government estimates that program resulted in filling nearly 18,000 rural doctor and nurse vacancies across the country.