Saskatchewan health care budget sparks criticism over staffing

This week, Saskatchewan's government announced a budget for 2025-26 that promises more than $8 billion for health care. This figure represents a 6.4 percent increase from the previous year. However, some in the health sector are expressing their dissatisfaction. NDP leader Carla Beck noted that the budget for this year is actually lower than last year’s. The government allocated $8.022 billion last year, but this year’s budget is set at $8.004 billion, a decrease of $17.1 million. Beck criticized the government, stating they are cutting health care while many people in Saskatchewan are struggling to get the care they need. The province has said that part of the new funding will address issues related to staffing and capacity. However, health care workers are calling for more support. Dr. Adam Ogieglo emphasized the need for more training and retention of healthcare workers in Saskatchewan. He pointed out that there are currently limited retention benefits for staff. Finance Minister Jim Reiter stated that the government is actively working to recruit and train health care staff. He mentioned that they have increased training seats for doctors and are implementing a multi-year plan to enhance the health care workforce. The University of Saskatchewan's college of medicine will receive an additional $7.4 million to create new training seats. The budget also includes funding to add 65 new full-time nursing positions in rural areas and increases for physician services. However, some believe the focus should be on staffing existing facilities before creating new ones. The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses called the budget “profoundly disappointing,” and another union, CUPE 5430, stated it fails to improve wages and working conditions for health care staff.