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Manitoba government says it's on track to hiring 1,000 new health-care workers

  • The Canadian Press

  • Canadian Press

  • September 26, 2024

<p>The Manitoba NDP government says it is more than halfway toward its goal of hiring 1,000 health-care workers since taking office nearly a year ago. St. Boniface Hospital is shown in Winnipeg on Wednesday, July 12, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods</p>

WINNIPEG -- The Manitoba NDP government says it is more than halfway toward its goal of hiring 1,000 health-care workers since taking office nearly a year ago.

The province says from April to August it has hired 873 new health-care workers to work within the public system.

This includes health-care aides, nurses, physicians and midwives.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says the addition of the new staff will help shorten hospital wait times that have been hammered since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asagwara says the government has turned to recruiting international workers, including working with a group to recruit doctors from the United Kingdom.

Prior to being elected during last year's provincial election, Premier Wab Kinew promised $500 million over four years to hire more nurses, physicians and other health-care personnel.

This report by was first published Sept. 26, 2024.