Doctor Shortage

Unlike in other provinces, there is no website in Saskatchewan that lists family care providers accepting new patients.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones says about 275,000 people have been attached to primary care so far in the first year of the government’s plan.

Dr. Warren Thirsk, an emergency room doctor in Edmonton, said he sometimes sees more than 100 people in the waiting room with 30 chairs, while others spill out into hallways or the ambulance bay.

Niharika Sreekumar’s husband died in her arms in a hospital emergency ward after waiting hours for care. But she says the hardest day of her life is yet to come.

In its submission to the B.C. government ahead of the 2026 provincial budget, the Consultant Specialists of BC are calling for the creation of a province-wide waitlist database and new tools for specialists to manage waitlists.

A new analysis suggests healthcare systems could benefit greatly with the introduction of a medical student resident assistant role—a paid assistantship program to bridge the gap between medical school graduates and young physicians.

Of the respondents from Alberta, 76% answered ‘not really’ or ‘not at all’ when asked about whether they feel respected and trusted by governments. In Quebec, the figure was 84%.

There could be as many as 13,000 more doctors practicing in Canada if it were not for the licensing restrictions on internationally trained physicians, the Royal College of Physicians testified before a House of Commons committee