The Government of Canada has announced an investment of up to $14.3 million to help address critical healthcare labour shortages, a move that could provide much-needed relief to struggling medical facilities in west-central Saskatchewan.
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Steven MacKinnon unveiled the funding through the Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP), which aims to integrate internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs) into the workforce. The initiative will support more than 3,500 healthcare workers through work placements, wage subsidies, mentoring, and training programs.
“This investment is about getting skilled professionals into hospitals and clinics faster,” said MacKinnon. “Internationally educated doctors, nurses, and practitioners have the experience and expertise needed to improve health outcomes across the country, and west-central Saskatchewan is no exception.”
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The funding comes at a time when rural healthcare in Saskatchewan is facing a growing crisis. Across west-central communities, emergency room closures, ambulance shortages, and staff vacancies have left residents with fewer options for timely medical care.
Emergency services at the Wilkie and District Health Centre have been closed for over three years, while Kerrobert residents face intermittent ambulance service due to EMS staffing shortages. Patients in Kindersley, Unity, and surrounding areas have reported extended wait times and difficulty accessing basic healthcare services.
One recent case highlighted the life-threatening consequences of these gaps in care. In Lloydminster, a man injured in a car accident was rerouted to North Battleford due to a CT scanner closure, only to find that the North Battleford scanner was also down. He tragically died before receiving the necessary treatment.
“This is a matter of life and death,” said Vicki Mowat, Saskatchewan’s Shadow Minister for Rural and Remote Health. “The Sask. Party government continues to ignore the realities of healthcare in rural Saskatchewan. The longer they stall on solutions, the further people must travel for urgent care.”
A list of recent healthcare service closures in the region paints a dire picture:
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Biggar & District Health Centre: Emergency room closed multiple times, including February 26-27, 2024, and January 18-19, 2024. Diagnostic imaging services unavailable from January 26-30, 2024.
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Kerrobert Health Centre: Acute care emergency room closed from November 7-10, 2023. Repeated disruptions in emergency stabilization services.
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Kindersley & District Health Centre: Obstetrical services closed from January 5-8, 2024. Laboratory services unavailable from February 28-March 1, 2024.
The Saskatchewan NDP is placing blame on local Sask. Party MLAs Kim Gartner (Biggar-Sask Valley), James Thorsteinson (Kindersley), and Colleen Young (Lloydminster), calling on them to demand urgent action from Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill.
“We’ve seen zero results from these MLAs,” said Meara Conway, NDP Shadow Minister for Rural and Remote Health. “They need to stand up to the Health Minister and demand better. Drive the same roads your constituents take to North Battleford for care—and do your jobs.”
The federal investment in foreign credential recognition offers a potential long-term solution to staffing shortages, but local advocates say more immediate action is needed to stabilize healthcare services in the region.
“Healthcare in Lloydminster and surrounding communities is facing significant challenges due to staffing shortages,” said Kristine Weisbeck, a Lloydminster patient advocate and first responder. “The CT scanner closure in Lloydminster is just one example of how a lack of resources is putting lives at risk.”
Weisbeck added that her concerns to MLA Colleen Young have yielded little response. “I’ve reached out multiple times, and all I’ve received is a vague answer that she needs ‘more time’ to address these issues.”
In response to mounting criticism, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Health Jeremy Cockrill and Minister of Rural and Remote Health Lori Carr issued a joint statement:
“Our government is committed to recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals across Saskatchewan. We have engaged with local communities and stakeholders to improve primary care, reduce surgical wait times, and expand mental health and addiction services. Stabilizing healthcare in rural areas is a top priority.”
While the province emphasizes its ongoing efforts, communities in west-central Saskatchewan remain skeptical. Until staffing shortages are fully addressed, rural residents continue to face uncertainty, service closures, and increased travel for basic healthcare needs.
With over 78,600 unfilled healthcare positions across Canada, the FCRP funding may help bring in more qualified professionals, but residents and advocates insist that urgent action at the provincial level is also necessary to restore and maintain healthcare access in rural Saskatchewan.