There were 86 service closures totaling 808 days of lost healthcare from February 2018 to July 2019 – the first 18 months of Premier Scott Moe’s administration. Nearly half of those days came from two prolonged service closures in Turtleford and the Battlefords.
During the most recent 18 months for which data is available (November 2023 to May 2025), the number of service closures surged to 643, equating to 3,362 days of lost healthcare service.
“This isn’t just a few isolated incidents — it’s a full-blown crisis right across our province,” said Jared Clarke, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Rural and Remote Health. “Hospitals are closing, ERs are going on bypass, and maternity wards are shutting down.
“This government is failing to provide even the most basic care for Saskatchewan families – even trying to replace emergency room doctors with webcams.”
From February 2018 to mid-2019, disruptions were mostly limited to emergency rooms, diagnostics, and surgeries. Today, they extend into nearly every corner of the healthcare system, including obstetrics, acute care, MRIs, CT scans, and lab services.
“Healthcare is getting worse, and it's our rural communities and medium sized cities like Prince Albert and Moose Jaw that are paying the biggest price. We’re the birthplace of Medicare – we shouldn’t be ranked last in Canada.
“After 18 years in power, the tired and out-of-touch Sask. Party has broken our healthcare system. They can’t be trusted to fix it.”
Clarke will visit Prince Albert, Shellbrook, and Meadow Lake today to draw attention to the worsening healthcare crisis, with more stops planned in the coming days.
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