Released on April 30, 2026
The Government of Saskatchewan is directing the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) to increase the frequency with which temporary emergency service disruptions are posted on the SHA website from once daily to at least twice daily, or as soon as practically possible.
On November 10, 2025, the SHA launched a new process to provide patients, families, and communities with accurate and reliable information about emergency room availability. All emergency service disruptions, regardless of their length, are now posted publicly on the SHA website, with updates occurring daily at 4:00 p.m. As of May 19, 2026, the frequency of updates to the website will double, occurring twice a day at 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
”Our focus remains on implementing our Patients First Health Care Plan to deliver innovative solutions to reduce the occurrence of temporary service disruptions and ensure everyone in Saskatchewan has access to the right care, at the right time, as close to home as possible," Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. "It is important for Saskatchewan people to have reliable and timely information on health care service availability in their community. This is why our government is directing the Saskatchewan Health Authority to move to twice daily reporting of temporary emergency room service disruptions.”
The SHA's service disruption webpage, found at saskhealthauthority.ca/news-events/service-disruptions, lists all affected facilities alphabetically and provides direct links from the SHA Facilities & Locations directory to community-specific disruption notices.
The Government of Saskatchewan is investing in practical solutions to strengthen the health care system to prevent temporary service disruptions. Investments in innovative strategies, such as the Virtual Physician Program, Point-of-Care Testing and the Health Human Resources Action Plan, have helped to prevent more than 6,000 potential emergency room disruptions in more than 28 communities across the province since 2023. Saskatchewan has seen a downward trend in the number of temporary emergency room service disruptions over the past three years.
The Patients First Health Care Plan, released on March 9, 2026, contains more than 50 next steps to strengthen health care in Saskatchewan. These include initiatives to help stabilize and strengthen emergency room services, such as:
• Increasing nurse practitioner positions in emergency rooms to reduce wait times and improve patient flow;
• Expanding the number of communities eligible for the Rural Physician Incentive Program and the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive Program;
• Expanding health career training opportunities in rural and regional communities, including new family medicine residency seats launching this year in Melfort, Nipawin and Yorkton; and
• Expanding the Virtual Physician Program.
When emergency room services are temporarily disrupted, signage will continue to be posted at the affected facility, and HealthLine 811 will have real-time information available. Patients and families are encouraged to call HealthLine 811 toll-free, 24 hours a day, for advice regarding service availability or to access health guidance from Registered Nurses and other qualified health professionals.
In any life-threatening emergency, 9-1-1 should be called immediately so paramedics can assess, treat, and transport the patient to the nearest available site for medical attention.
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Media Relations
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: media@health.gov.sk.ca