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N.B. invests $1.47M to expand pulmonary rehabilitation services

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New Brunswick is expanding access to pulmonary rehabilitation services in partnership with the New Brunswick Community College and College Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick.

In a press release on Monday, the Department of Health announced its investing $1.47 million over the next three fiscal years to support a free pulmonary rehabilitation program.

The program will be run in clinics managed by NBCC and CCNB, and will offer disease-management education, personalized exercise plans, and ongoing support to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other lung conditions

Health Minister John Dornan said in the press release the partnership will make pulmonary rehabilitation more accessible for New Brunswickers.

“These clinics will give people important tools and support to stay active and improve their health, while also providing student with valuable hands-on the experience that prepares them for careers in health care,” he wrote.

According to the press release, these services will help reduce symptoms, improve physical function and support overall well-being.

Care will be delivered by respiratory therapy students and other healthcare learners under the supervision of registered technicians.

In a separate press release, NBCC said the program began as a small‑scale conceptual pilot in 2018 and has since provided free pulmonary rehabilitation to residents with COPD.

NBCC currently operates clinics at its Saint John campus, as well as in Sussex and St. Stephen. Since April 2025, the school has delivered six nine-week clinics, serving nearly 90 patients with 92 students involved.

Building on the research led by NBCC’s College Office of Research Entreprises and early program results, the college has also developed a bilingual guide to help other institutions establish student-led pulmonary rehabilitation clinics across the province and beyond.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Government of New Brunswick for their investment in this program,” wrote Ann Drennan, NBCC’s vice-president, academic, innovation and student affairs.

As part of this initiative, CCNB will begin offering pulmonary rehabilitation clinics at its Dieppe campus starting this Monday, based on the NBCC model.

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$5.8M toward CCNB Bathurst upgrades

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The provincial government is putting $5.8 million toward major upgrades at CCNB’s Bathurst campus as the college moves into the next phase of a long‑term renewal project.

Premier Susan Holt said that modernizing the campus is about supporting students and the province’s future.

“By modernizing CCNB’s Bathurst campus, we’re investing in New Brunswick’s future – giving students state‑of‑the‑art spaces to learn, explore and innovate,” Holt said in a government release.

The funding comes from the capital budget announced in December that will support continued design work and other costs tied to preparing the site for construction.

Some early site work is expected to begin this year.

Post‑Secondary Education and Training Minister Jean‑Claude D’Amours said the project will have a broad impact.

“Upgrading infrastructure is essential to keep driving innovation and preparing a skilled, adaptable workforce,” he said.

The plan includes closing CCNB’s Youghall Drive building and replacing it with a new 22,000‑square‑metre facility on du Collège Street.

The college added that the project will centralize operations, reduce duplication of services and preserve a heritage building on the site.

Most programs at the Youghall Drive location are in the skilled trades.

The $5.8 million announced this week is in addition to $10.85 million already committed for the first two phases of the project.

Several steps have been completed since the project was announced in 2023.

This includes developing a master plan, hiring architects and engineers, consulting with academic groups and the board of directors, and advancing the design through schematic and development phases.

CCNB CEO Pierre Zundel said the upgrades will help the college respond to labour‑market needs and support technological innovation.

“Modernizing our facilities will allow us to become a technological showcase for New Brunswick and train the next generation of students to ensure their success in a constantly evolving world,” Zundel said.

CCNB operates five campuses and offers nearly 80 programs across seven schools.