Northern Lights College opened a new six-bed health care training lab at its Fort St. John campus in British Columbia on March 17, 2026, to help students learn closer to home. This new facility gives local students a place to practice medical skills without having to travel long distances during the winter months.
The lab was built by turning an old computer room on the top floor of the Jim Kassen Industry Training Centre into a modern space for hands-on learning. It is designed for those in the Health Care Assistant program, which helps prepare about 150 students for medical jobs every year across the college system.
Previously, students in the area had to drive to other cities to finish their required lab work. This new facility was made possible by a $450,000 grant from the Peace River Regional District and donated hospital beds from Northern Health and the Fort St. John Palliative Care Society.
The training space is officially approved by the provincial registries for nurses and care aides. It is part of a regional training plan called NLC Cares, which aims to help people live and work in the northern parts of the province.
The college also plans to start new training programs for pharmacy technicians in August 2026 and mental health workers in November 2026. These local training options arrive as a new hospital is being built in Dawson Creek, which will increase the regional need for qualified medical staff in the coming years.
