A staffing agency contracted by Manitoba’s previous Progressive Conservative administration to recruit 150 doctors to the province only delivered two physicians. The agreement with Canadian Health Labs was seen as a crucial step in addressing doctor shortages, especially in rural and northern regions. However, the contract lapsed recently as the current NDP government chose not to extend it for a third year, revealing that only two doctors were successfully recruited.
This low recruitment outcome, representing just over 1% of the promised 150 doctors, has left residents like Breanne Mueller frustrated. Mueller, who has been searching for a family doctor in Steinbach for 12 years, questioned the effectiveness of such recruitment companies, given the meager results.
Canadian Health Labs has faced criticism in the Atlantic provinces for charging high hourly rates for agency nurses and billing them for meal allowances despite instructing the nurses to cover their own food expenses. In New Brunswick, the Vitalité Health Network attempted to terminate its contract with Canadian Health Labs before its scheduled expiration in 2026 by canceling remaining shifts for the company’s travel nurses.
Manitoba’s deal with Canadian Health Labs, signed in July 2023 through a competitive process, aimed to attract 50 physicians to Winnipeg, 50 to northern Manitoba, and 50 to other rural areas. The contract included provisions for penalties if recruitment targets were not met at specified intervals.
Although the contract with Canadian Health Labs was valued at up to $5.25 million, Manitoba will only pay for the two physicians recruited, costing between $25,000 and $45,000 per doctor. The company did not respond to requests for comment. The two recruited physicians, originally from the UK, have commenced practice in Winnipeg.
Despite a notable increase in physicians in Manitoba in recent years, the province still lags behind in physician-to-population ratios. Concerns persist, especially among residents like Mueller, who remain on waiting lists for family doctors due to perceived inefficiencies in the provincial healthcare system.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara highlighted the NDP government’s success in recruiting new physicians, with a significant number joining the healthcare workforce. While progress has been made, healthcare professionals stress the need for sustained efforts to address future healthcare demands, particularly with an aging population requiring more medical services.