SDG 3: Good Health & Well-being

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is committed to educating and equipping learners to graduate and launch successful careers in nursing. The curriculum is a spiralled, competency based model that employs conceptual learning, learning technologies and active learning strategies, including both simulated and clinical practice experiences.

In partnership with the Indigenous Initiatives department, the BSN program has formed the BSN Indigenization Circle working group. The circle’s vision is “Reconciliation in Action” and this team actively works to promote reconciliation activities for students and faculty.

The BSN program recognizes that Indigenous students are underrepresented in the student population and in the profession of nursing. To encourage and support Indigenous applicants the program has dedicated five reserved seats for Indigenous students.

Congratulations to the BCIT Bachelor of Science in Nursing program for receiving the BCcampus Award for Excellence in Open Education. The program was recognized for its instrumental role in developing nursing open educational resources including a major textbook adaptation, four virtual simulations, and six skills videos.

BCIT’s Burnaby campus is home to a new Health Sciences Centre that is educating and training future health care professionals to meet the growing demands of British Columbian families. Completed in 2022, the School of Health Sciences is excited to provide collaborative delivery of programs to students in their new building.

Through the use of technology and on-site learning spaces, BCIT will provide personalized, collaborative, inter professional learning opportunities that promote active participation of all health sciences professions whether located in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia, Canada or the world. It will become a critical hub for healthcare education within the province.

The Teck Copper Innovation Hub at the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI) opened in February 2023 and was made possible by a $1.75 million donation from Teck Resources Limited.

Copper has unique antimicrobial properties and is proven effective in eliminating up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria which is beneficial for healthcare applications.

The Hub will use additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, to produce healthcare devices composed of copper and composites. The facility will also advance research projects and education focused on exploring new ways that copper can be used to enhance health and safety in real-life applications.

BCIT has a longstanding partnership with Teck which includes collaborative efforts to advance research and education in British Columbia. Teck also partnered with BCIT to install more than one thousand antimicrobial copper patches on high-touch surfaces at the Burnaby Campus as an extra layer of protection for students, staff, and visitors.

Photos of the Hub from the launch event

The Clinical Genetic Technology program‘s Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) lab uses a state-of-the-art illumina iSeq instrument. This innovative lab is the first of its kind in a Canadian post-secondary to offer hands-on NGS training for Clinical Diagnostics.

Training on the iSeq platform for DNA sequencing helps students develop a deeper understanding of the methods and techniques used in DNA sequencing, a deeper understanding of the underlying biology and genetics, and develop skills in data analysis.

NGS is used to identify novel and rare cancer mutations, detect familial cancer mutation carriers, and provide molecular rationale for appropriate targeted therapy. As technology continues to evolve, NGS could be used for even more disease diagnosis in the future.

Embedded in the BCIT Motive Power Centre of Excellence on Annacis Island, in Delta, BC, the Emission Reduction and Research Test Hub (ERRTH) is truly one of its kind. ERRTH creates a cleaner environment by effectively measuring vehicle emissions, testing proposed solutions, and improving air quality.

For more information, see SDG 13: Climate Action.

BCIT’s first People Vision is a plan that describes our goals and priorities in respect of our people. The Vision seeks to articulate our objectives and priorities in empowering our employees. It creates a framework for our efforts to support their development, create an inspiring workplace, and honour their commitment to the Institute. There are five interdependent core areas with wellness being one of them.

Learn more about the People Vision

In direct support of remaining a people-focused organization, the Student Well-being and Resilience Framework outlines strategies to promote and support students’ success, well-being, and resilience. This Framework is the product of consultation with multiple stakeholder groups across BCIT as well as careful examination of the critical issues facing our students through the lens of the Eight Dimensions of Well-being.

BCIT prioritizes student success and well-being, and recognizes the critical role we play in maintaining a positive and healthy learning environment for all students. Programs include but are not limited to:

• Free and confidential counselling services available to all students.
• Student Health Services medical clinic at the Burnaby Campus.
• Early Assist is a confidential online platform that provides employees and students an opportunity to identify students who may be struggling personally or academically, and offer them appropriate support and services at an early stage.
• The BCIT Student Association offers an Extended Health & Dental Plan for full-time students providing protection and security to minimize the effect of injuries or ailments.

Wellness Works is designed to encourage employees to prioritize their own health by maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Wellness Works promotes a culture of wellness and resilience throughout our community by providing our people with education, resources, and support to create and sustain the healthiest workplace possible, where employees can thrive.

We focus on six dimensions of wellness:

• Emotional Wellness
• Financial Wellness
• Mental Wellness
• Physical Wellness
• Social Wellness
• Spiritual Wellness

Learn more about Wellness Works

BCIT Recreation Services is dedicated to the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff, and members of the community. Recreation is an integral part of campus life and everyone is welcomed to discover, participate and enjoy their services. A well-balanced, active lifestyle that offsets the rigors of academia and everyday life is encouraged.

While at BCIT, current students, staff, and faculty receive a complimentary membership.

Learn more about Recreation Services

BCIT is committed to providing the necessary resources and procedures to ensure the Institute responds effectively to any emergency or disaster, so students and employees can learn and work in a safe environment. The Emergency Management Program coordinates and integrates all activities necessary to build, maintain, and improve the Institution’s ability to mitigate and prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and human-caused emergencies or disasters.

BCIT has an emergency warning alert system -BCIT ALERT- designed to keep the BCIT community connected to key information, and to ensure the continued safety of students and staff. BCIT ALERT is used to communicate urgent or emergency situations and unexpected campus closures by sending a short message to mobile devices, email address or voicemail.

The Emergency Response Depot Program assists employees and students who are unable to leave BCIT campuses and return to their homes due to an emergency situation. Basic necessities for survival for 24 hours are available for students and employees in the emergency response depots which are strategically placed around the six campuses. The depots are easily identifiable and shown on the campus maps. They hold extensive first aid kits, stretchers, blankets, shelters, tents, cots, portable toilets, limited food, water, cooking equipment, and unisex emergency packs containing items such as light sticks, particle masks and hand warmers. The depots also hold emergency supplies and equipment for the emergency response teams to do rapid damage building assessments, first aid and search and rescue.

Learn more about Safety and Security at SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), a division of the BCIT Safety, Security and Emergency Management department, strives to continually advance the safety culture of BCIT by providing guidance, training and technical consultation to the institutional community to ensure a healthy and safe environment for staff and students.

HSE is responsible for the development and maintenance of the BCIT Health and Safety Program in accordance with the British Columbia (BC) Workers Compensation Act and associated regulations. Every person, visiting or working at BCIT, is expected to maintain high standards of safety and follow all Occupational Health and Safety regulations, BCIT policies and procedures, and legislative standards as they apply to the Institute.

All workplace injuries, illness, near-misses or unsafe/hazardous conditions are reported by completing the relevant form in the online Incident Reporting and Information System (IRIS). Incidents are than investigated to determine the root cause(s) and prevent reoccurrence. Corrective actions are assigned at the end of the investigation process, the intention is to rectify and improve any areas where improvement is required.

Work-related injuries or incidents are reported to WorkSafeBC, an organization established by provincial legislation as an agency with the mandate to oversee a no-fault insurance system for the workplace.

Quality education starts with an engaging learning experience. The buildings we learn and work in can directly affect our level of engagement by their design. Our commitment to being a people-focused institution that delivers an applied education starts with ensuring the spaces our students learn in and our instructors teach in consider all aspects of human experience, health, and well-being.

WELL is the leading tool for advancing building design that prioritizes the health and well-being of building occupants. BCIT has been working to towards WELL Gold Certification since the early planning of the new Health Sciences Centre. With an innovative design focused on experiential learning, the building’s WELL certification will ensure occupants are supported through the integration of 10 design considerations.

The building features a rooftop garden that showcases plants native to BC and highlights species that play an important role in Indigenous cultures for medicinal purposes.

Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) is a term used to describe aspects of indoor environments, such as air quality, noise, and lighting, with respect to occupant health and comfort. IEQ can be affected by many factors, from climate and weather, to building ventilation systems, to how a space is occupied and used.

Facilities Services follows a rigorous Best Practices preventative maintenance program designed to ensure that all aspects of HVAC systems operations are regularly inspected, verified, and managed. A sophisticated work flow management system generates and assigns all required proactive maintenance tasks to in-house building trades and specialized contractors. Most of these activities are held to account by provincial regulatory bodies who inspect and issue official permits allowing BCIT to operate regulated systems and equipment.

Learn more about Indoor Air Quality

Custodial services is working to deploy LEED for Existing Buildings: Green Cleaning program across all five campuses. The program only permits use of environmentally approved cleaning products. The intent is to reduce the use of chemicals and toxins that can harm human health, building finishes, indoor air quality and the environment.

Tidy Ted is a new, innovative and sustainable piece of equipment that will keep BCIT clean and safe for its students and faculty. Tidy Ted works alongside the custodial team to keep the Health Sciences Centre spotless, and it does so by simply using electrically charged water without any chemicals.