GBGH launches Housing for Healthcare to connect property owners with prospective hospital staff seeking accommodation
January 3, 2024 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) has launched the Housing for Healthcare website to connect staff and prospective staff with potential housing opportunities in the community. Understanding the rental housing market can be a challenge locally and a deterrent to recruitment, GBGH’s Human Resources team created this online housing resource. The hospital is continually seeking new and innovative ways to encourage potential recruits to join its team of talented people.
In line with the hospital’s goal of having talented team members providing the highest quality of care, assisting with access to housing opportunities for potential and current employees has become increasingly crucial.
“This community is an incredible one in which to live for many reasons, including the recreational opportunities available,” says Angela Wiggins, vice president, People & Culture and chief human resources officer, GBGH. “We want GBGH team members to have work-life balance so they can enjoy all the area has to offer, but it’s hard to do that without a local home. If rental housing is a barrier to highly-skilled staff selecting our hospital for their career, then we want to do what we can to remove that obstacle. Our aim is not only to fulfil this essential need, but also to attract and retain top talent as part of our team providing excellent care.”
Through Housing for Healthcare GBGH has created an online housing marketplace, providing property owners with forum to post info and photos about their rental housing. GBGH Human Resources will direct potential hires to this resource if housing is identified as a deciding factor in recruitment. The available listings can also be viewed by any candidates considering GBGH online.
The hospital already has community members reaching out about the availability of their rental property for staff or physicians, so it was a logical step to build an official online marketplace.
“I have been working with GBGH for two years now, providing a fully furnished suite for locum physicians looking for short-term accommodation,” says Anne Croteau, property owner. “Our house is located within an easy 5-minute walk to the hospital, making it ideal for those on-call days. We have received so much positive feedback from physicians who are very grateful for a close and comfortable stay while providing so much support and care to our community. We are thankful for the opportunity to do our part in providing a warm and welcoming touchdown space.”
Community engagement and support in this initiative are pivotal to its success. To register a property with GBGH’s Housing for Healthcare site, please visit – https://gbgh.on.ca/housing-for-healthcare/
Contact:
Jennifer Moore
Director, Communications & Community Relations
Georgian Bay General Hospital
705-526-1300 ext. 5177