New Brunswick students will soon have better access to health-care training.

The province is putting $21 million toward 57 training seats at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Premier Susan Holt said the agreement will help build a steady pipeline of professionals to meet growing health-care needs.

“Allied health-care workers, like pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and dentists, play an important role in caring for New Brunswickers,” Holt said in a government release.

The seats will open in 2026 and cover nine programs not currently offered in New Brunswick. That includes pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dentistry, and speech-language pathology.

Post-Secondary Education Minister Jean-Claude D’Amours said the move gives students better access to education close to home.

“We recognize there is a shortage of allied health professionals in our province, and we know the need will grow in the coming years,” he said.

The seats are part of the province’s updated health plan, Caring for New Brunswick: Putting People at the Heart of Healthcare, released earlier this month.

Nova Scotia’s Advanced Education Minister Brendan Maguire said the partnership helps remove barriers between provinces and strengthens the regional health-care workforce.

Dalhousie University president Kim Brooks said the school has a long history of training health professionals who serve Atlantic communities.

“This new agreement means more New Brunswickers can pursue rewarding careers in the allied health professions that are vital to the region’s future,” Brooks said.