Below is the list of educational institutions that offer recognized Health Care Assistant (HCA) programs in British Columbia. The BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry reviews and recognizes Health Care Assistant (HCA) programs in BC to ensure that they are: following the provincial curriculum, implementing a common set of training standards and graduating competent front-line health care providers.
BC educational institutions may deliver HCA programs in both on-campus formats (classroom based instruction) and combined delivery formats (online and/or video-conference instruction). Regardless of the program delivery format, HCA programs students must complete in-person skills lab coursework and practice education coursework (e.g., clinical experiences). For more information about program delivery options, please contact educators directly.
Recognition Status:
New Program; Site Visit Pending – This status is awarded to new programs for a period of up to 2 years during which time the institution is expected to deliver the program. As with the other statuses, program graduates are eligible for registration upon completion of the program. A compliance assessment site visit is scheduled after the first graduating class completes the program. Programs with new program status are limited from applying for new program variations, delivery at new sites and one-time funded delivery, until they have achieved full recognition status.
Interim Recognition – This status is awarded after a compliance assessment site visit and can be held for a period of up to 2 years. Interim recognition status indicates condition(s) need to be met in order for the program to remain in good standing. Programs with interim recognition status are limited from applying for new program variations, including delivery at new sites and one-time funded delivery, until they have achieved full recognition status.
Full Recognition – This status is awarded after a compliance assessment site visit and can be held for a period of up to 5 years. Full recognition indicates that the institution does not have any conditions in place.
*Recognition Status is subject to change. If a program is under review for compliance related issues with the Registry, the following note will appear with their listing: *program under review. This serves as an indication that a program’s recognition status may be subject to change (e.g. from full to interim recognition). Please consult this list for updates.
Stakeholders are also advised to check the status of private educational institutions offering HCA programs on Private Training Institution Branch Institution Directory to ensure they are in good standing and do not have any enforcement actions.
HCA program students: It is important to complete a recognized HCA program so that you can be registered to work as an HCA in BC. You need to check that you take a program on this list.
Important Note: The Stratford Career Institute Health Care Aide Program is not recognized by the BC Care Aide Registry.
| Educator | Program | Locations | Recognition Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambria College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Richmond, Surrey, Victoria, Vancouver | Full Recognition |
| Camosun College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant - ESL Health Care Assistant - Indigenous | Victoria | Full Recognition |
| Capilano University | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | North Vancouver, Sechelt | Full Recognition |
| CDI College of Business, Technology & Health Care | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Richmond, Surrey | Full Recognition *program under review |
| Coast Mountain College (formerly Northwest Community College) | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Terrace, Smithers *Regional program delivery may be available. | Full Recognition |
| College Educacentre College | Health Care Assistant in French- Préposé aux soins de santé (Combined Delivery) | Vancouver | Full Recognition |
| College of New Caledonia | Health Care Assistant | Prince George, Quesnel, Vanderhoof *Regional program delivery may be available. | Full Recognition |
| College of the Rockies | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Cranbrook, Creston, Fernie, Golden, Invermere | Full Recognition |
| Discovery Community College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Campbell River, Courtenay, Maple Ridge, Nanaimo, Parksville, Surrey | Full Recognition |
| Douglas College | Health Care Assistant Program | Coquitlam | Full Recognition |
| Drake Medox College | ESL – Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) ESL – Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant | Surrey, Vancouver | Full Recognition |
| Edison College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Victoria | New Program; Site Visit Pending |
| First College | Health Care Assistant Program | Kelowna | Full Recognition |
| Gateway College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant – Accelerated Health Care Assistant – Access Health Care Assistant & Communication Year 2 (recognized as an HCA ESL Program) Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant – Accelerated (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant – Access (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant & Communication Year 2 (recognized as an HCA ESL Program (Combined Delivery) | Vancouver | Full Recognition |
| Heritage Community College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Surrey | Full Recognition |
| Kwantlen Polytechnic University | Health Care Assistant | Langley, Surrey | Full Recognition |
| NEC Native Education College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Vancouver | Full Recognition |
| Nicola Valley Institute of Technology | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Merritt | Full Recognition |
| North Island College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Comox Valley, Port Alberni, Campbell River | Full Recognition |
| Northern Lights College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Dawson Creek, Fort St. John | Full Recognition |
| Okanagan College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Kelowna, Penticton, Salmon Arm, Vernon | Full Recognition |
| Selkirk College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant Access (within Post-Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing) Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant Access (within Post-Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing) (Combined Delivery) | Trail, Castlegar | Full Recognition |
| Sprott Shaw College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant Upgrade (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant Access (within Post Graduate Certificate in Nursing Program) Health Care Assistant Internationally Educated (recognized as an HCA ESL Program) Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant Access (within Post Graduate Certificate in Nursing Program) (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant Internationally Educated (recognized as an HCA ESL program) (Combined Delivery) | Abbotsford, Kelowna, Chilliwack, Kamloops, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Nanaimo, Penticton, Surrey, East Vancouver, Vancouver, Victoria, Osoyoos | Full Recognition |
| Stenberg College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant – International (recognized as an HCA ESL Program) Health Care Assistant Access (within Post Graduate Diploma in Canadian Nursing) Health Care Assistant Access International (within International Post Graduate Diploma in Canadian Nursing) | Surrey | Full Recognition |
| Thompson Rivers University | Health Care Assistant | Kamloops, Williams Lake | Full Recognition |
| Thompson Rivers University - Open Learning Division | Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Multiple Locations in British Columbia | Full Recognition |
| Universal Learning Institute | Health Care Assistant | Richmond | Full Recognition |
| University of Fraser Valley | Health Care Assistant | Chilliwack | Full Recognition |
| Vancouver Career College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Abbotsford, Burnaby | Full Recognition *program under review |
| Vancouver Community College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant – ESL Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant Diploma (International Cohort) | Vancouver | Full Recognition |
| Vancouver Island University | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) | Duncan, Nanaimo, Powell River | Full Recognition |
| Western Community College | Health Care Assistant Health Care Assistant + ESL Health Care Assistant – Access Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery) Healh Care Assistant ESL (Combined Delivery) Health Care Assistant - Access (Combined Delivery) | Abbotsford, Surrey | Full Recognition |
| Westminster College | Health Care Assistant Program | Surrey | Full Recognition *program under review |