WINNIPEG — Manitoba's NDP government has surpassed its goal of hiring 1,000 health-care workers since taking office more than a year ago, but the news is receiving mixed responses from some groups who represent health-care staff.
The province announced on Friday that from last April to the end of December it hired 1,255 net-new health-care workers, including nurses, physicians and midwives, to work within the public system.
"Each and every one of these 1,255 frontline health-care workers have joined our system because they want to care for their neighbours, their fellow citizens (and) their community members," Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara told news reporters.
The NDP government committed to hiring 100 doctors, 210 nurses and 600 health-care aides as part of its 2024 budget.
This followed up on campaign promises made in 2023 by the NDP to provide $500 million over four years to hire them.
Numbers provided by the government show the province has surpassed its goal for hiring doctors but fell short on its plan for health-care aides. It has hired 138 new physicians since April and 386 health-care aides.
Kinew acknowledged more work needs to be done to address the persistent high wait times in hospitals since the COVID-19 pandemic and the low retention rates that have plagued many sectors.
"The prospect of fixing health care is going to take years to accomplish, but the good news is we're making progress," he said.
Some health-care groups are encouraged by progress made to address staffing shortages, while others say the impact has yet to be felt on the front lines.
The union representing 19,000 health care support workers called the news a "huge relief."
"The government's recent announcement...will have a huge impact for patient care and the experience of front-line staff," Margaret Schroeder, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees 204, said in a statement.
The Manitoba Association of Healthcare Professionals said the addition of 162 net-new allied health professionals is not nearly enough to have a significant impact.
"What we’re seeing so far isn’t going to fill anywhere close to 1,000 vacant allied health positions, and today’s announcement of net-new positions, although a positive step, isn’t going to bring down wait times nor will it enable us to retain the valuable allied health we have," he said in a statement.
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives called on the province to release a robust recruitment and retention plan.
"New hires are great, but it's equally important to focus on retaining health-care workers that we already have and (mandated) overtime is one of those issues that health-care workers consistently point to as a factor in their decision to, for example, leave the public system and go to a private agency," said health critic Kathleen Cook.
The province said it has also beefed up hospital security by funding 126 institutional safety officer positions, with 96 already working in facilities throughout Manitoba.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2025.
Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
