Manitoba government orders health authority to cut its use of private nurses

WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government has ordered a regional health authority to cut the amount of money its spends on private-agency nurses by 15 per cent by March of next year.

Premier Wab Kinew says Prairie Mountain Health, which covers a large portion of western Manitoba, has been using more-costly private nurses and must focus more on nurses in the public health system.

The NDP government promised to address a shortage of health-care professionals during the 2023 election campaign, and has budgeted more money for wage increases and new hires.

Kinew says, with hundreds of new workers now in the system, moving away from private agency nurses is feasible.

The government also issued a request for proposals recently to try to reduce the number of private agencies it uses and establish more standardized pay rates for private firms.

A top official with Prairie Mountain Health says the authority is working to comply with the directive.

“We are working with the province on steps to ensure there will be no gaps in care as we transition from a heavy reliance on agencies to employing enough staff to meet our needs,” Treena Slate, chief executive officer, said in a written statement Wednesday.

“We’re working diligently to reduce the use of agency staff within our operations. We will strive to meet the direction provided and are confident that we can assist ourselves in reducing agency use.”

The Opposition Progressive Conservatives said the government action won’t amount to much because spending on private nurses in Prairie Mountain Health has increased since the NDP were elected.

“Freedom of Information documents reveal that agency nurse hours in Prairie Mountain Health have skyrocketed by 25 per cent this year alone,” Tory health critic Kathleen Cook said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2025.

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press