CEO BEHIND SASK. PARTY-FUNDED ADDICTIONS TREATMENT PROVIDER PREACHED PROFIT-DRIVEN ‘KILL RATIO’ APPROACH

Scott Moe Government Ignored Local Providers, Poured Public Money Into For-Profit, Out-Of-Province Company
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is calling on Scott Moe to publicly release every government contract with a private, out-of-province addictions treatment provider that has donated to the Sask. Party and whose CEO has made deeply concerning comments about his company’s business model.

The full extent of Scott Moe’s relationship with Edgewood Health Network (EHN) is not known; however, political donation records show the company donated to the Sask. Party in 2022 and 2023, the same period the government was seeking partners to expand addiction treatment.

Backed by Peloton Capital Management and chaired by Stephen Smith, a media-reported finance billionaire, EHN operates facilities coast to coast, including Saskatchewan’s largest addiction treatment facility, the Willowview Recovery Centre. The 60-bed facility in Lumsden has been plagued by delays, limited access and questions about value for money.

In a 2019 paper, The Anatomy of a Disruptor, Edgewood CEO Joe Manget outlined an approach to healthcare that draws on military strategy, including references to Korean War aerial combat and a reported 10:1 “kill ratio” to argue that success comes from operating at a faster tempo than competitors. “If you are standing still, you are a target,” the paper states.

“EHN is clearly focused on making money off a drug crisis that is killing people every day in Saskatchewan,” said Meara Conway, Shadow Health Minister. “We know that Scott Moe and his ministers ignored local providers and began funneling money to EHN while starving Saskatchewan players of resources needed on the frontlines to save lives.

Conway added, “The people of Saskatchewan should know that a centrepiece of Scott Moe’s response to this drug crisis leans on an out-of-province, for-profit private equity company whose top executive preaches a ‘kill ratio’ approach that is focused on racing ahead of its competitors to make profit. A kill ratio mindset has no place in a system meant to save lives. You don’t build recovery through speed, aggression, profit. You build it through trust, time, and care.”

Moe backed EHN when asked about the relationship with the company in the Legislature this week.

Conway said, if there really is nothing to hide, the government should:

Release all contracts, cost details and procurement records related to Edgewood’s work in Saskatchewan
Provide a clear, public accounting of how this provider was selected
And, explain what safeguards were in place to prevent political influence in the process.

Saskatchewan communities have been overrun by drug overdoses — in the first three weeks of April, 301 overdose calls were reported by frontline responders in Saskatoon alone and another 140 were logged in Regina. On Wednesday, a report was released from the Saskatchewan Advocate for Children & Youth that found that between 2019-2025, at least 13 children died with toxic illicit drugs in their system, such as fentanyl.

“Clearly, whatever approach Scott Moe is taking with EHN isn’t working. People are losing loved ones at an alarming rate. Now we learn that young kids are dying as a result of this crisis as well,” Conway said. “We need full and clear transparency to determine what value we’re getting from this deeply concerning relationship with a highly questionable company.”

Across Canada, the Edgewood model has faced scrutiny. In British Columbia, media reports have cited patient concerns about safety and quality of care. New Brunswick community raised concerns over lack of consultation. In the Northwest Territories, the government ended its relationship with the provider after sending more than 100 residents through the program on account of the treatment of First Nations participants.

In Saskatchewan, the province has paid millions for the Willowview facility in Lumsden, which has been plagued by delays. Today, people are still being told to expect wait times of two to three months to access care.

At the same time, the Sask. Party government has committed nearly $11.2 million annually for secure, privately operated complex needs facilities tied to the same provider — at a cost of $373,000 per bed.

“No one should ever profit from the struggles faced by our neighbours and their families,” Conway said. “This crosses a line, especially when local care providers are ready to do this work, and they should be the priority.

“It’s time for change.”

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