Encana Corporation is supporting health care and education in northern British Columbia with a $50,000 donation to the Northern Medical Programs Trust (NMPT) at the University of Northern British Columbia. The NMPT, managed by UNBC, is providing approximately $150,000 in student awards during the 2011-2012 school year, helping northern students train for careers in northern rural practice. The NMPT endowment is currently about $6.5 million.

The NMPT is comprised of nearly 30 municipalities and regional districts, and supports students in the Northern Medical Program and the UNBC Family Nurse Practitioner program who participate in rural clinical experiences as part of their education. Funds are provided to students based on the location and duration of their clinical placement.

The Trust also provides some financial assistance to northern communities eager to attract students. Encana’s contribution has been divided to help fulfill the pledges of three northern communities including Fort Nelson, Fort St. John and Chetwynd which enables the Trust to operate as an endowment in perpetuity.

“We’re proud to support the Northern Medical Program and UNBC because they are important to the communities where we live and work in the north, and because it’s a key part of our commitment to family and community wellness and to education,” says Mike Forgo, Vice-President of Business Services and Stakeholder Relations. “We’ve worked with UNBC since 2006 on the NMPT and local research projects and we’re happy to continue our support for the education of health practitioners who will contribute to the quality of life in the region.”

“We’re proud to say that investments in UNBC are investments in the future of northern BC,” says UNBC President George Iwama. “For example, the first group of Northern Medical Program graduates included Dr. Jennifer Parker who established a practice in Fort St. John last year. We’ll see many similar stories in the future thanks to the support students receive from the Trust to experience what it’s really like to live and work in the North.”

Donations to the Northern Medical Programs Trust are tax-deductible and can be made through UNBC. For more information on the Northern Medical Program visit www.unbc.ca/nmp.