Plans are underway for Nova Scotia’s second medical school campus at Cape Breton University by fall 2025.

In collaboration with Dalhousie University’s faculty of medicine, the project will include a new collaborative care clinic at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Marconi campus, and an expansion of Cape Breton University’s health and counselling centre, with the goal to train 30 new doctors every year.

Premier Tim Houston announced a $58.9 million investment, including $49 million for the medical sciences building and related infrastructure, $6.2 million for the new clinic and $3.7 million to expand the health and counselling centre.

A new medical sciences building will be the cornerstone of the Cape Breton medical campus, housing educational and research space to train the next generation of family doctors. Their education will include special training in rural health needs such as aging, frailty and disease prevention, as well as Indigenous health and African Nova Scotian health.

The health and counselling centre will become a clinical training facility and its expansion will address the increased demand for healthcare among students.

David Dingwall, president and vice-chancellor of Cape Breton University, called it a major step forward in improving the collective health of citizens. “Simply put, this investment will change the face of healthcare in Cape Breton, in rural Nova Scotia and the entire province,” he said.

Last year, Cape Breton University received one-time funding of $5 million from the province for its strategic health initiative focused on healthcare training and enhancement outside the urban core.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko.