Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan, introduced in 2022, has made notable strides in strengthening the province’s health care workforce, officials said as the initiative reached its two-year mark.
The $300-million plan focuses on four key pillars — recruitment, training, incentives, and retention. Since its launch, the province has successfully brought in a wide range of health professionals and expanded training opportunities in critical fields.
Health Minister Everett Hindley said the plan was “ambitious but necessary to stabilize and reinforce our valued healthcare professionals,” noting its success in recruiting hundreds of health care workers, adding post-secondary training seats, and introducing new programs. He emphasized the impact of these efforts in rural and northern Saskatchewan, where health services are often harder to staff.
A central component of the plan is the establishment of the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency (SHRA), which was tasked with accelerating recruitment. Terri Strunk, CEO of the SHRA, said the agency brings the recruitment process “under one umbrella,” working with stakeholders across the province to address ongoing workforce needs. “We are attracting top talent and addressing healthcare needs across the province,” she said.
Recruitment efforts yield results
The recruitment pillar has seen the province hire 218 physicians, including 35 from outside Canada. Of these, 87 were family physicians and 131 were specialists. Recent hires include a pediatric gastroenterologist, several psychiatrists, and a new physician assistant.
Additionally, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has recruited more than 1,400 recent nursing graduates from inside and outside the province, along with nearly 400 internationally educated nurses (IENs) from the Philippines. About 280 IENs have completed their transition into the Canadian system, while the remainder are still in training.
Other positions filled include 27 new permanent nurse practitioners for rural communities, with eight already hired.
Training opportunities expand
More than $100 million has been invested in training under the HHR Action Plan, creating about 870 new seats in 33 health care programs at institutions across the province. New programs have also been introduced, including occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, respiratory therapy, and physician assistant training.
Advanced Education Minister Colleen Young said the expanded training programs are crucial for addressing Saskatchewan’s growing health care needs. “Saskatchewan students now have more opportunities than ever before to train for a career in health care, which is pivotal for the sector and the people it serves,” she said.
These expanded opportunities are being offered at campuses in Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert, along with various regional colleges. Among the new training options are psychiatric nursing in North Battleford and sonography in Yorkton.
Incentives bring workers to rural areas
The province has also rolled out various incentive programs to attract health care workers to underserved areas. More than 350 hard-to-fill positions have been successfully staffed through the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive, which offers return-of-service agreements.
The Rural Physician Incentive Program was enhanced in 2024, and new incentives were introduced to retain specialists in high-demand areas like anaesthesia, psychiatry, and radiology. In total, more than $1.3 million in bursaries, including for paramedics and other specialists, have been distributed to help draw students into health care careers.
“These smaller centres provide unique opportunities to use a full range of skillsets and expertise,” said Tim McLeod, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors, and Rural and Remote Health, noting the success in attracting professionals to rural and northern communities.
Retention remains a key focus
Retention of health care workers is another pillar of the HHR Action Plan. Since 2022, the province has created 245 new permanent full-time positions in high-priority occupations, such as registered nurses, and increased another 65 part-time nursing positions to full-time. The SHA has also implemented initiatives to improve the work environment, such as a mentorship program with more than 200 participants.
“We are leveraging the strength of our volunteers, patient and family advisors, traditional knowledge keepers, and our network of community and health system partners,” said SHA CEO Andrew Will, adding that the health workforce is essential to delivering patient-centred care.
