Professional Development

• For education/training commenced between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024.
• Applications will be accepted until the fund is fully exhausted.

Apply here.

1. The applicant must be an HSA member covered by the HSPBA/HEABC Provincial Agreement.
2. The application must pertain to education/training commenced between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2023.
3. The education/training must pertain to professional development in a health science professional discipline being practiced in the public health care system.
4. Application process is available online through the HSA website.  Members must log in to access the application form using their personal email address.
5. Applications will be accepted until the funds are fully exhausted.

Applications will be processed in the order they are received and are subject to the availability of the remaining monies in the fund.

1. Multiple professional development courses can be submitted on one application, but each course, but each fund is limited to a maximum cap $1,000.
2. Please include course number, name, date, cost breakdown and website link for each course/activity for training programs and individual courses, even if it is more than the maximum cap of $1,000.  This information is required for our records.  Provide details in space provided.
3. Costs listed on the application are to be in Canadian dollars - you must do your own currency conversions.  Reimbursement will be based on the approved amount that was entered on your application form at time of submission.
4. Eligible training/education expenses for reimbursement include: tuition fees, registration fees, costs of required books/materials, and other reasonable and/or mandatory education-related expenses.
5. Reasonable costs of travel and accommodation costs may be eligible if related to training/education to a maximum cap of $250 (from the total $1,000 possible amount) per member. Eligible Travel and Accommodation are as follows:
   1. Eligible travel expenses are airfare, mileage, ground transportation, parking, transit, ferry costs, etc. Only travel within Canada or the United States is eligible.  Mileage is calculated at $.68/km, and is calculated at the difference between the members’ normal commute from home to work and the commute from home to training. 
   2. Eligible accommodation expenses are hotel, Airbnb, etc. and is based on there being a minimum distance of 25 km between the applicant’s residence and the location of the in-person education/training provider. If it is necessary to arrive at the education/training location one day prior to be able to attend at the start time, or the only travel option does not permit the applicant to arrive home before 10:30pm on the last date, eligibility for hotel reimbursement may include the date immediately before and/or after the event.  If member is required to temporarily relocate during the training period, there must be a minimum distance of 25 km between the applicant’s residence and the training location in order to be eligible. 
6. Costs NOT eligible for reimbursement are: Wage replacement, Criminal Records checks, Professional Association Fees, Regulatory College Fees, Membership Fees, Immunizations or immunization reports, Technology costs such as software, hardware, and any mandatory technology fees, materials such as yoga mats, needles, etc., gas, meals or per diem, childcare, baggage fees, optional student fees, athletic fees or administration fees.
7. When an application is deemed to satisfy the eligibility criteria, it will be approved subject to sufficient funding remaining available.
8. Applicants must disclose if they have received, or anticipate receiving, any funding from any source for any cost related to their application for funding.
9. Applications with incomplete details ie: course information, costs, etc. will delay the process significantly.
10. HSA will inform applicants via their personal email if their application has been approved or denied.
11. Once the application is approved, the applicant must submit receipts for all claimed expenses, along with a copy of the claim form, a VOID cheque and completed EFT form. Documents must be submitted in a timely manner and, in any event, by the deadline specified in the approval letter. Electronic receipts are acceptable.  Reimbursement will only be made following an applicant’s submission of satisfactory receipts. 
12. Payments will be made by electronic transfer (EFT) from HSA, once satisfactory documents have been received.

• For education/training commenced between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.
• Applications will be accepted until the fund is fully exhausted.

Apply here.

1. The applicant must be an HSA member covered by the HSPBA/HEABC Provincial Agreement.
2. The application must pertain to education/training commenced between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.
3. The education/training must pertain to professional development in a health science professional discipline being practiced in the public health care system.
4. Application process is available online through the HSA website.  Members must log in to access the application form using their personal email address.
5. Applications will be accepted until the funds are fully exhausted.

Applications will be processed in the order they are received and are subject to the availability of the remaining monies in the fund.

1. Multiple Applications can be submitted for separate courses, but the fund is limited to $1,000 per member.
2. Multiple Courses can be submitted on one application, but each course must be listed with name, date, amount and website link in the space provided.  Up to the maximum of $1,000.
3. Training Programs for Degrees must include the course name, dates, and costs for each course applying for under the PD Fund in the space provided.
4. Costs must be listed on the application are to be in Canadian Funds.  Conversions will not be done for you.  Reimbursement will be based on the approved amount that was entered on your application form, and no more.
5. Eligible training/education expenses for reimbursement include: tuition fees, registration fees, costs of required books/materials, and other reasonable and/or mandatory education-related expenses.
6. Reasonable costs of travel and accommodation costs may be eligible if related to training/education.  There is a maximum of $250 cap (from the total $1,000 possible amount) per member. Eligible Travel and Accommodation are as follows:
   1. Eligible travel expenses are airfare, mileage, ground transportation, parking, transit, ferry costs, etc. Only travel within Canada or the United States is eligible.  Mileage is calculated at $.61/km, and is calculated at the difference between the members’ normal commute from home to work and the commute from home to training. 
   2. Eligible accommodation expenses are hotel, Airbnb, etc. and is based on there being a minimum distance of 25 km between the applicant’s residence and the location of the in-person education/training provider. If it is necessary to arrive at the education/training location one day prior to be able to attend at the start time, or the only travel option does not permit the applicant to arrive home before 10:30pm on the last date, eligibility for hotel reimbursement may include the date immediately before and/or after the event.  If member is required to temporarily relocate during the training period, there must be a minimum distance of 25 km between the applicant’s residence and the training location in order to be eligible. 
7. Costs NOT eligible for reimbursement are: Wage replacement, Criminal Records checks, Professional Association Fees, Regulatory College Fees, Membership Fees, Immunizations or immunization reports, Technology costs such as software, hardware, and any mandatory technology fees, materials such as yoga mats, needles, etc., gas, meals or per diem, childcare, baggage fees, optional student fees, athletic fees or administration fees.
8. When an application is deemed to satisfy the eligibility criteria, it will be approved subject to sufficient funding remaining available.
9. Applicants must disclose if they have received, or anticipate receiving, any funding from any source for any cost related to their application for funding.
10. HSA will inform successful applicants by email to their personal email address when their application has been approved or denied. 
11. Successful applicants must provide detailed receipts for all claimed expenses.  Receipts must be submitted to HSA in a timely manner and, in any event, by the deadline specified in the approval letter.  Electronic receipts are acceptable.  Reimbursement will only be made following an applicant’s submission of satisfactory receipts. 
12. Applicants will be required to provide HSA with a copy of a VOID cheque and completed EFT form for payment.  Payments will be made by electronic transfer (EFT) from HSA, once satisfactory documents have been received.

You may apply now. Applications will be accepted until the funds are fully exhausted.

The fund is designed to cover education/training that commences during the time “window” between April 1 and March 31 of the funding window.

Applications are processed in the order they are received, and any application that is approved will have satisfied the eligibility criteria and funding guidelines. A successful applicant must submit satisfactory expense receipts, in accordance with instructions contained in the application approval letter, in order to receive reimbursement of approved expenses.

Please be advised each fund has a separate and distinct application, submission  and consideration/approval process according to the criteria specified to that funding window.  Each new funding time window requires a record that the member submitted an application specific to that fund.  As such, applications to one fund will not be “held” by HSA and submitted on the member’s behalf to another fund.  Each member must apply to each fund separately and meet the eligibility and timeline guidelines specific to that fund.

The application form states that the funding is to be allocated to training and upgrading skills for HSPBA members working in professions experiencing shortages or rural and remote locations, as well as to ongoing required professional development for all HSPBA members. Should I submit an application even if I can't say for certain that one of these criteria would be satisfied with my application?

Yes. Do your best to answer how you think your application will serve the particular criterion.

Professional development includes a range of events/instruction, such as workshops, seminars, conferences, courses, or programs. It might require in-person attendance, distance learning, or clinical placement. It might be of relatively short duration or a lengthier pursuit of credentials such as a diploma, advanced certification, or degree.

Tuition fees, registration fees, the cost of required books/materials, and other reasonable education/training- related expenses are considered, to a maximum of $1,000.

"Other reasonable education/training-related expenses" includes reasonable costs of travel and accommodation if the applicant must travel or temporarily relocate to attend education/training or related clinical placement a that is not offered locally or virtually to a maximum of $250 of the $1,000 cap.

Costs that are NOT eligible for reimbursement include:

• Criminal records check
• Professional association or regulatory college fees
• Immunizations or immunization reports
• Technology costs such as software, hardware and any mandatory technology fees
• Materials such as yoga mats or needles
• Any optional school/student fees
• Meals or per diem
• Gas
• Travel outside of Canada or USA

No. In order to support professional development for as many members as possible, the fund will not pay for wage replacement associated with an application.

No. Each fund has a separate and distinct application, submission and consideration/approval process according to the criteria specified to that funding window.  Each new funding time window requires a record that the member submitted an application specific to that fund.  As such applications to one fund will not be "held" by HSA and submitted on the member's behalf to another fund.  Each member must apply to each fund separately and meet the eligibility and timeline guidelines specific to that fund. 

Yes. If a member is required to temporarily relocate during the training period (eg clinical placement, course/training longer duration no offered locally) they may submit accommodation expenses for consideration. However, there must be a minimum distance of 25km between the applicant’s residence and the training location to be eligible and will only receive up to the allowable cap of $250.

No. The professional development fund is over and above the collective agreement.

All provisions of the HSPBA/HEABC Provincial Agreement continue to apply, including Education Leave as per Article 17.01 and Unpaid leave as per Article 22.

We’re pleased that additional professional development funds for 2023-24 have been secured in partnership with the BC government, bringing the total amount of funding available to health science professional members to $12 million over four years.

At this time, we do not have a specific date for applications to open to members, but it will be fall 2023. Should you register for a professional development activity or training before the fund opens, please keep track of all of your expenses and receipts (using the eligible expenses of previous years as a guide), so you can submit for reimbursement as soon as the fund opens.

2022-2023 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND

Applications for the 2022/23 HSPBA Professional Development Fund are no longer being accepted. If you have questions about applications made for funding in previous years, please contact @email

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

• Eligibility Guidelines
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Application Form

Contact @email for more information.