Monday September 8, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. | Island Social Trends
Master of Physical Therapy and a Master of Science in speech-language pathology are two areas of study that will now be available at the University of Victoria (UVic).
This is an expansion from programs until now offered at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
The partnership of UBC with UVic has expanded the two allied health profession programs.
Physiotherapists and speech-language pathologists are part of B.C.’s allied health workforce.
- Physiotherapists plan and put treatment programs in place for people to maintain, improve or rebuild physical ability, ease pain and prevent physical problems. | Master of Physiotherapy
- Speech-language pathologists assist people who have challenges with speech, fluency, language, voice and swallowing. | Master of Speech Pathology
High priority:
“Well-trained allied health professionals are essential to our health-care system and supporting B.C.’s health workforce is one of government’s highest priorities,” said Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Minister Jessie Sunner in a news release on September 4.
“By offering this hands-on training on Vancouver Island, these future allied health professionals are more likely to secure jobs in their home communities and build networks of care from Victoria to Port Hardy,” said Sunner.
This collaborative work between government, UBC and UVic to offer this programming on Vancouver Island will result in more in-demand allied health professionals graduating in the region, which will improve access to care closer to where people need it, the government states.
Now 56 seats:
The two programs launched at UVic’s Vancouver Island Technology Park (VITP) in September 2024 with seats for 20 master of physical therapy students and eight master of science in speech-language pathology students annually.
First- and second-year cohorts start classes this month, for a total of 56 students participating in the program this school year.
$15 million leasing cost to the Province:
Here’s the financial breakdown:
- The Province provided $15 million to lease, renovate and equip space at VITP for the two programs.
- As well, the Province supplied $9.1 million for startup and operating costs.
- Overall, government provides more than $250 million annually in targeted funding for health-education programs to public post-secondary institutions throughout B.C.
Team-based care:
“Highly trained allied health professionals contribute greatly to our team-based health-care system, and these new programs will ensure we have more of them right here on Vancouver Island,” said Health Minister Josie Osborne in last year’s release.
“Investing in the next generation of physiotherapists and speech-language pathologists means better support for families, ensuring that people of all ages can live healthier, more independent lives,” said Osborne.
Allied health professionals, such as speech-language pathologists and physiotherapists, ease the pressure on other critical medical services by supporting people to develop independence, communicate more effectively, recover from injury, improve or rebuild physical ability, prevent new or further injury, and ultimately navigate through different environments with freedom.
Both professions also work extensively within the K-12 school system, helping children and youth to navigate or overcome challenges at a young age.
Health-profession expansion:
“This is an important step forward in UBC’s efforts to expand health-professions training across the province made possible, thanks to our partners and a dedicated community of clinical faculty,” said Dr. Mieke Koehoorn, dean pro tem, faculty of medicine and interim vice-president of health, UBC.
“By creating more opportunities for students to train closer to home in this state-of-the-art facility and through local clinical placements, we’re strengthening the network of health professionals on the Island to better serve families and communities,” said Dr. Koehoorn in the government’s news release.
Both professions are considered high-opportunity occupations. B.C.’s 2024 Labour Market Outlook forecasted 720 job openings for speech-language pathologists and audiologists in B.C. over the next 10 years. With 140 of those openings expected in the Vancouver Island and Coastal region, this program expansion could potentially fill more than half the job openings in that region over the next decade. For physiotherapists, the Labour Market Outlook forecasted 2,080 job openings in B.C. over the next 10 years, with 410 located in the Vancouver Island and Coastal region, which means that as many as 200 of those job openings could be filled by graduates from this program expansion.
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NEWS SECTIONS: HEALTH | POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION