For immediate release: May 22, 2025
Saskatchewan NDP Demands Emergency Action Plan As Horrible Crisis Re-emerges In Royal University, St. Paul’s Hospitals
SASKATOON – The Saskatchewan NDP is sounding the alarm after learning from frontline workers that the emergency rooms in both the Royal University Hospital (RUH) and St. Paul’s Hospital were operating dangerously overcapacity on Tuesday.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 93 patients were packed into the RUH emergency room designed for half of that. Stretchers lined public hallways leaving patients without privacy or dignity.
At nearby St. Paul’s, there were 53 patients in an emergency room designed for 28, forcing patients to be treated in the waiting room (attached photos).
“This is a crisis, not a coincidence,” said Mowat. “When nearly 100 people are packed into an ER designed for half of that, with patients on stretchers in hallways, no curtains, no privacy — this is a clear sign our healthcare system is overwhelmed.
“People deserve better, and healthcare workers deserve better.”
Staff at RUH and St. Paul’s have consistently reported being burnt out, working in unsafe conditions and a lack of resources to deal with surging patient demand. In the fall, frontline staff described conditions frequently inside the RUH emergency department as being similar to a “warzone.”
While ER overcrowding has become more frequent in recent years, Mowat said the situation yesterday shows just how far conditions have deteriorated.
“This isn’t just about numbers — it’s about real people waiting hours in pain, seniors stuck on stretchers in hallways, and families worried sick. This government has ignored warning after warning from healthcare workers.
“Instead of fixing our healthcare for the future, the Sask. Party chose to cut healthcare by $17 million in the provincial budget.”
The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the Sask. Party government to reverse their healthcare cuts, staff up hospitals provincewide and, specifically to immediately develop and publicly release an emergency plan to address the crisis at Royal University and St. Paul’s.
– 30 –
Retail Sales Growth In Saskatchewan Dead-Last, Financial Anxiety For Consumers Highest In Canada
SASKATOON - Carla Beck’s team is standing with a Saskatoon small business owner, calling out Scott Moe for refusing to provide any relief despite sky-high costs, which will only be made worse by new tariffs.
Scott Moe’s Minister Brushed Off Changes Last Week, Said Health Authority Could Have Communicated Better
WOLSELEY — A mother from Wolseley is speaking out about an abrupt and harmful change to pediatric diabetic care in Regina that she says has disrupted care for her family and made an already difficult situation even harder to navigate.
Deleted Staff Video Shows Sask. Party’s Extravagant, Out-of-Touch ‘Day in the Life’
REGINA — Carla Beck’s Saskatchewan NDP is demanding answers after a Sask. Party MLA spent the day hopscotching Saskatchewan aboard a private jet — an extravagant “day in the life” documented by his own staff person in a since-deleted video.
Sask. Party Continues To Play Political Games While Trump's Tariffs Damage Saskatchewan Industry and Jobs in Moose Jaw
MOOSE JAW – Carla Beck's team is calling on Scott Moe yet again to cancel his tee times, stop working on his summertime tan and get back to work addressing the serious harm being caused to hardworking Saskatchewan people amid the escalating trade war with Donald Trump.