Saint John council hopes a new medical education scholarship will help attract new doctors to the city.
Earlier this year, council agreed to the idea of creating a scholarship through the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation.
Councillors voted this week to formally enter into a scholarship agreement with the foundation.
The city will provide $10,400 annually for four years, beginning in 2026, according to a staff report.
Every year, two medical students will each receive a scholarship worth $5,000 each.
In return, they will commit to practicing in the city for at least one year after graduation.
Coun. Greg Norton, who brought forward the initial motion, said that it increases the likelihood they will stay in the community.
“Nobody’s gonna argue that the health and wellness and the medical field is extraordinarily competitive now, and there’s an obligation on this council to try to be as competitive as we possibly can, whether it’s in that space, economic development, public safety, recreation, and a number of other fields,” said Norton.
“There was a time when this councillor saw us never get in the lane of housing, and now we’re looking at becoming more competitive with housing. This is no different, and this is a very modest amount of money over a four-year period.”
Council had initially wanted to start the partnership in 2025, but staff recommened waiting a year, given the steps needed for approval and the foundation’s timelines for its application and allocation process.
The foundation provides support to hundreds of medical students each year.
