A former temporary foreign worker left a quadriplegic following a traffic accident is feeling slightly more hopeful about being able to stay in Canada after a meeting with Alberta's health minister.

Vicky Venancio, now in Canada illegally, met with Sarah Hoffman Thursday afternoon at the Alberta legislature.

Advocates are urging the province to reinstate her healthcare coverage, but Hoffman said she's uncertain if she can do that.

"It's very complex," Hoffman said. "Number one is to try and make sure she has the ability to stay in Canada. I'll have follow up conversations about my department and see what flexibility the current rules do provide."

Hoffman she said she would continue to lobby her federal counterparts to prevent Venancio from being deported.

Venancio was struck by a car in Edmonton nearly three years ago while cycling to work. Officially diagnosed with "spastic quadriplegia," she uses a wheelchair and has limited mobility in her upper body.

The province won't provide coverage, and her employer claims she opted out of her health benefits.

That means Venancio has to cover the cost of lab tests, X-rays, physiotherapy, doctor appointments, specialists and pain management medication on her own - or go without.

Though she has no government health benefits, Venancio continues to work hard on her recovery, with free care from both a physiotherapist at the University of Alberta, and a family doctor.

See Venancio's progress in the video below.



