Recognized BC Health Care Assistant Programs

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. 

Important Note: Due to COVID-19, most recognized programs were provided with temporary approval to deliver the HCA program in a combined delivery format. Recognized educators planning to continue offering the HCA program in a combined delivery format have submitted applications to the Registry.

Applications for ongoing combined delivery are currently under review.
Where programs have received formal recognition for ongoing combined delivery, this is indicated below. Check this list for updates.
 

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.     

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

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

Excel Career College
 
Health Care Assistant
Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery)
Courtenay, Victoria, Kelowna Full Recognition


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 – 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 Interim 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

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