HEALTHCARE WORKERS SOUND ALARM ON FUNDING CUTS

For immediate release: May 13, 2025

Saskatchewan NDP, SEIU-West Call Out Sask. Party For Cutting Healthcare In Budget

Regina — Today, the Saskatchewan NDP joined SEIU-West members at the Legislature to sound the alarm on a broken healthcare system.

This year’s provincial budget slashed $17 million from healthcare, compounding years of mismanagement that have left Saskatchewan last in Canada for emergency wait times, surgery wait times, and staff retention.

“After 18 years of the Sask. Party, our healthcare system ranked last place in Canada and is set to get even worse with these cuts to the new provincial budget,” said Vicki Mowat, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Health Minister. “We need to listen to the professionals on the frontlines and get our health system out of last place.”

SEIU-West members — like care aides, nurses, lab techs, clerical staff, and cleaners — are the backbone of healthcare in Saskatchewan, but many are leaving because of stagnant wages, unsafe workloads, and worsening working conditions.

“Continuing Care Aides and Licensed Practical Nurses are burned out with overtime, critical short-staffing and a lack of support from the SHA,” said Barb Cape, President of SEIU-West.

“We need to pay healthcare workers a competitive wage to keep them and attract new staff to work in healthcare. If we do not, we will see closures of beds and services that the people of Saskatchewan rely on.”

"More hospitals will face closures unless we take care of the healthcare workers who take care of us,” said Meara Conway, Shadow Minister for Rural and Remote Health.

“Our hospitals are literally the lifeline for many rural and northern communities. We need to focus on the future of these communities and get them staffed up again.”

The Saskatchewan NDP and SEIU-West are calling on the Sask. Party to reverse their cuts to the health budget.

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