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 *program under review
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
Create Career College	Health Care Assistant	Burnaby	New Program; Site Visit Pending
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 Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery)	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	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 ​ Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery)	Langley, Surrey	Full Recognition
Langara College	Health Care Assistant	Vancouver	New Program; Site Visit Pending
NEC Native Education College	Health Care Assistant ​Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery)	Vancouver	Full Recognition
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology	Health Care Assistant	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	Kelowna, Penticton, Salmon Arm, Vernon	Full Recognition
Pacific Coast Community College	Health Care Assistant ​ Health Care Assistant (Combined Delivery)	Langley	Interim 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	New Program; Site Visit Pending *program under review
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)	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)	Abbotsford, Surrey	Full Recognition
Westminster College	Health Care Assistant Program;	Surrey	Full Recognition