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The Saskatchewan government says it’s making good on its promise to stabilize health care in rural and northern communities — including Moose Jaw — by creating or enhancing 77 full-time healthcare positions across the province.
The announcement was made yesterday at Moose Jaw's Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital by Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill, Minister for Rural and Remote Health Lori Carr, and Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) Chief Operating Officer Derek Miller. Moose Jaw MLAs Tim McLeod and Megan Patterson were present, and Kevin Weedmark, MLA for Moosomin-Montmartre, was the emcee.
The initiative is supported by $6.2 million in funding redirected from administrative savings within the SHA, part of an effort to reinvest overhead into hands-on care.
“We know that healthcare workers are the foundation of our health system, and our recruitment efforts have experienced positive results,” Cockrill told reporters.
“I'm pleased that we have the chance to celebrate the ongoing efforts to reduce service disruptions in rural and northern communities. And today, I'm very pleased to announce 77 new and enhanced permanent full-time positions will be added to 30 different rural and northern communities.”
The new and expanded positions include a mix of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, psychiatric nurses, medical laboratory technologists, diagnostic imaging staff, and clinical support personnel. Priority is being given to communities that have experienced frequent service disruptions in recent years.
Carr pointed to internal tracking showing improvements since the province began implementing its Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan in 2022.
"Efforts include the Saskatchewan Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive, adding several hundred new and enhanced positions in over 70 communities, implementing the Virtual Physician program, and expansion of Point-of-Care Lab Testing," she told attendees.
"Thanks to these initiatives, rural and remote communities saw a 28 per cent reduction in service disruption days. In the past 16 months, Virtual Physician coverage and Point-of-Care Lab Testing helped prevent more than 2,700 service disruptions."
Officials on Monday did not release a site-specific breakdown, but confirmed Moose Jaw is included in the rollout.
SHA COO Derek Miller spoke to emphasize that this latest round of hiring will focus not only on bodies, but on building up team-based models and leadership in regional facilities.
“We recognize how important it is for residents in rural communities to have access to health services when and where they need them," Miller said.
"That's why we're taking deliberate and sustainable steps to reduce service disruptions and ensure that the people of Moose Jaw will have timely access to the right care at the right time. ... Of course, this progress would not be possible without the unwavering dedication of our existing healthcare teams. I applaud and thank them for their commitment as they continue to inspire meaningful change every day."
The government maintains that the positions are already budgeted and in the process of being filled, with recruitment timelines varying by region and profession. Several of the roles are part of retention strategies aimed at keeping new graduates and experienced staff in the system longer.
However, the Official Opposition Saskatchewan NDP was quick to cast doubt on the significance of the announcement, citing ongoing service disruptions and unfilled positions across the province — and at Moose Jaw’s hospital in particular.
In a statement released during the press conference, the NDP claimed the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Hospital has experienced more than 300 days of service closures since 2020, based on information obtained through Freedom of Information requests. They cited gaps in obstetrics, gynecology, CT, MRI and laboratory availability, and again drew attention to the non-operational hyperbaric chamber, which has remained offline for nearly four years.
“These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — they’re missed diagnoses, postponed treatments, and real lives affected,” said Keith Jorgenson, Associate Shadow Minister for Health. “Moose Jaw families are being forced to travel further and wait longer for basic care. The government needs to take that seriously.”
The NDP also noted that over 1,600 healthcare jobs remain posted on the SHA recruitment site, raising concerns about whether the newly announced roles will be successfully staffed — especially in high-demand sectors like imaging and mental health.
Despite the criticism, SHA and provincial officials say they are committed to building on recent gains and ensuring that health care remains available and accessible across Saskatchewan — including in Moose Jaw.