Health-care systems in Canada are facing tough times, to say the least.
Staffing shortages and delayed access to care have become national concerns. In Saskatchewan, these issues are particularly acute, with rural areas often being hit the worst.
As the 2024 provincial election looms, political parties are vying to convince voters that they have the solutions to fix a health-care system on the brink of collapse. But what are they promising? And, more importantly, will those promises actually work?
Our health-care system is stretched thin. Hospitals are facing critical staff shortages, especially in rural areas. This is not just about doctors and nurses; the province is also struggling to retain paramedics, specialists and support staff. According to the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN), in the spring of 2024, almost 60 per cent of members surveyed reported they had thought about leaving nursing in the past 12 months.
With rural health care being in an even bigger crisis, health-care access is also becoming more unequal. A lot of people I know start turning towards the cities, which have seen some improvements and seem to have a steadier roster of doctors, even though they are struggling as well.
As Saskatchewan’s political parties gear up for the 2024 election, health-care reform is front and centre in their platforms.
As of the end of the first campaign week, the Saskatchewan Party, led by Scott Moe, has yet to make any promises addressing the health-care crisis – something that seems to change this week. However, the party-led government earlier was focusing on incremental reforms. They’ve been emphasizing recruiting more health-care workers from outside the province and abroad.
The government has been actively involved in campaigns to attract international health-care workers, which has shown some success, particularly with recent agreements to bring in nurses from the Philippines. Moe has also called for increased federal funding to address ongoing health-care challenges.
While these initiatives have potential, critics argue that relying on international recruitment doesn’t address the root causes of staff shortages, such as burnout and inadequate wages.
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party, under leader Carla Beck, is advocating for a more comprehensive overhaul of the system. The NDP pledged an additional $1.1 billion for front-line health care if elected as government, with a focus on retention efforts, promising to address staffing shortages by offering better working conditions and higher wages. They also said they are committed to creating a Nursing Task Force.
These promises are in line with their previous platform, but critics question whether the province can sustain such high levels of public investment without significantly raising taxes.
(Other parties also have ideas about health-care improvements. Among several other initiatives, the Sask. United Party proposes allowing non-government clinics to offer publicly-funded services through government contracts; the Progressive Conservative Party suggests utilizing retired nurses; the Green Party plans on emphasizing proactive wellness; the Sask. Progress Party [formerly the Liberals] very quietly pushes for physician availability transparence; and the Buffalo Party pitches health-care concierge and more. But no matter what it is, it doesn’t seem that any of the above will have enough weight in the next government to bring their ideas to life).
One of the most contentious issues in Saskatchewan’s health-care debate is the question of privatization. The Sask. Party has floated the idea of allowing more private health-care services to operate alongside the public system. Supporters argue that this could help reduce wait times and alleviate some of the pressure on public hospitals.
Critics, however, warn that privatization could erode the quality of care and deepen inequities. If wealthier residents can afford faster, private care, the public system might become even more underfunded and overburdened. Moreover, privatization doesn’t address the root causes of the health-care crisis. It’s a short-term fix that may actually exacerbate long-term problems by diverting resources away from the public system.
The NDP has been critical of the government’s privatization experiments with MRI services, arguing that it undermines the core principles of universal public health care. Instead, Beck’s party advocates for increased public investment to reduce the burden on hospitals. While this stance seems to be in line with the values of many Saskatchewan residents, again, it may not provide the immediate relief that the system desperately needs.
Another key issue in the health-care debate is the role of the federal government. Health care in Canada is a provincial responsibility, but Ottawa provides significant funding through the Canada Health Transfer. In recent years, provinces have been calling for a substantial increase in federal contributions to help cover rising costs. The federal government committed to a $196-billion, 10 year health-care funding agreement last year (with $46B being new money), plus a guaranteed increase of five per cent per year.
Saskatchewan, like other provinces, welcomed the funding, but many experts believe it falls short of what’s needed. The province is facing significant demographic changes, including an aging population that will require more long-term care and specialized health services. Mental health and addictions are other growing needs. And without a steady stream of increased federal funding coupled with systematic changes, it’s unclear how Saskatchewan will meet these growing demands.
Saskatchewan’s health-care crisis is a complex problem that requires both immediate action and long-term planning. While political parties are offering various solutions, there is no one-size-fits-all fix. To address the staffing shortages, Saskatchewan must not only recruit more health-care workers but also focus on retaining the ones it has. This means improving working conditions, offering competitive wages, and ensuring that rural health care workers receive adequate support.
As the election approaches, voters in Saskatchewan will need to carefully consider the promises being made by their political leaders. Health care is a vital issue that affects every resident, and the choices made in this election will shape the future of the province’s health-care system for years to come.
