A new healthcare workforce study released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicates that although Saskatchewan has more nurses and paramedics than the national average per 100,000 people, the province is lagging behind the national average in numerous other healthcare categories.

The CIHI study examined the number of workers in each province in every aspect of healthcare between 2019 and 2023.

On one hand, Saskatchewan has 199.9 paramedics for every 100,000 people, up from the national average of 80.9, and 972.6 registered nurses compared to 803 nationally. Saskatchewan also gained 37 Licensed Practical Nurses per capita between 2019 and 2023, but now at 324 nurses per capita, we are still behind the national average of 350. Saskatchewan has just 221 physicians per capita, whereas the national average is 243. We also have 20 less dentists, seven less psychologists, 19 less specialists, 20 less occupational therapists, and 24 fewer dental hygienists than the national average to name a few.

In addition to that, the province is losing healthcare workers year-over-year in certain healthcare sectors.

Between 2019 and 2023, the number of dental assistants and psychiatric nurses has dropped in the province. For example, in 2019, Saskatchewan had 1293 dental assistants, and five years later there were 1038. In 2019 there were 802 registered psychiatric nurses, and in 2023 there were 788.