Saskatchewan now boasts the highest per capita supply of licensed nurses in Western Canada and exceeds the national average, according to a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).
The Nursing in Canada 2024 report shows Saskatchewan had nearly 17,500 licensed nurses working in 2024, or 1,411 per 100,000 residents, well above the Canadian average of 1,207. The province also led in per capita Registered Nurses (1,009) and Nurse Practitioners (23), while ranking second in Licensed Practical Nurses (315) and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (64) per 100,000 population in Western Canada.
Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the latest data confirms Saskatchewan’s investments in the nursing workforce are delivering results.
"Not only does this latest data... show that the province's nursing workforce is growing, it also confirms it is one of the country's largest on a per capita basis for both urban and rural areas," said Cockrill. "We recognize that these are not just numbers, but a team of dedicated healthcare professionals helping patients and their families."
Since 2015, Saskatchewan has seen its nursing supply grow by more than 2,700 nurses, an increase of 18.3 per cent. That growth, health officials say, is helping stabilize services across the province, particularly in rural and northern regions.
According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), almost 2,300 nursing graduates have been hired between April 2023 and June 2025. Over the past fiscal year alone, the SHA hired more than 1,420 Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses, resulting in a net gain of more than 900 new nurses.
Recruitment efforts have also brought nearly 400 Filipino nurses to Saskatchewan communities.
“SHA is committed to hiring each and every new nursing graduate in Saskatchewan,” said SHA Chief Human Resources Officer Mike Northcott. “These efforts have led to a 37 per cent decrease in chronically vacant nursing positions provincewide, including a 50 per cent drop in rural and remote areas.”
Northcott said those improvements are also helping reduce dependence on contracted nursing services. According to the SHA, the province has seen a 30 per cent reduction in its use of agency or temporary nurses.
In addition to recruitment, the province is expanding training. Over 340 first-year nursing seats have been added across various programs in Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions, including RN, RPN, LPN and NP streams.
Since 2022, Saskatchewan has added 315 new and enhanced full-time positions in priority health occupations, with 250 new nursing positions filled in rural and northern communities. A further 77 positions were recently announced to support 30 rural and remote areas.
To support rural retention, several financial incentives are in place. High-priority health professionals, including nurses, may qualify for recruitment incentives of up to $50,000. Nurse practitioners relocating to smaller communities may be eligible for an additional $40,000 over five years. Saskatchewan also offers up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness and up to $24,000 in tax credits through its Graduate Retention Program.
Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr said the progress reflects the success of Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan.
“All of these improvements demonstrate the success of our HHR Action Plan in strengthening Saskatchewan’s nursing workforce,” said Carr. “We are committed to continue building on recent gains to support our valued nurses, bring more stability to health services, and ensure Saskatchewan residents across the province have timely, reliable access to care.”
More information on health care careers and the province’s HHR Action Plan can be found at saskatchewan.ca/HHR.