SASK. PARTY CUTS LEAVE DEAF CHILDREN WITHOUT ESSENTIAL CARE

For immediate release: May 6, 2025

Government Slashes Funding for Lifesaving Pediatric Program, Ignores Pleas from Parents

REGINA – Vulnerable children with permanent hearing loss are being left behind after the Sask. Party government fails to deliver critical supports to the Saskatchewan Pediatric Auditory Rehabilitation Centre (SPARC), a vital, government-funded service based in Saskatoon.

Parents express severely limited access to critical follow up care for children with cochlear implants and hearing aids. Experts recommend weekly appointments to prevent long-term developmental delays — yet some families now report being seen only once or twice a month.

“This is more than a failure to deliver — it’s a betrayal of children and families,” said Brittney Senger, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Disabilities and Community-Based Organizations. “There are 182 children in Saskatchewan eligible for this program, but because of the Sask. Party’s cuts, only 52 can now access it. That’s shameful.”

Breanne Arnold, whose daughter was born deaf and received a cochlear implant, says her family is now in limbo. “My daughter needs consistent therapy to develop her speech and language skills. We've gone from semi-monthly sessions to one per month in Regina. I’ve contacted Minister of Health Jeremy Cockrill every week for over a month. He hasn’t responded.”

The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the government to immediately deliver the supports these parents can’t access and guarantee that every child with hearing loss gets the care they deserve.

“These cuts are short-sighted and cruel,” Senger said. “The Sask. Party isn’t just abandoning these children — they’re turning their backs on Saskatchewan’s future.”

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