Sask. NDP proposes law requiring province to disclose ER closures to the public

WATCH: The Saskatchewan NDP are set to introduce legislation intended to keep people informed about what ER services are available.

As the fall legislative assembly approaches, the Saskatchewan NDP are planning to introduce legislation intended for emergency rooms in rural areas.

The new amendment would require a formal notification to residents of any emergency room closure in the province.

NDP MLA Jared Clarke says the legislation could save lives.

“We want to ensure that the people of this province have the information to decide where they should go in an emergency,” Clarke told reporters Wednesday.

According to the Official Opposition, a total of 184 closures – representing 780 days of lost service – have occurred since December 2024.

“That’s only what we have been able to track. [The] SHA does not make this information public. Most times people find out through a Facebook post from [their] municipality,” Clarke said.

The party says the new legislation was created using testimonies of those unable to access emergency rooms in rural communities.

Clarke said the legislation is a step in the right direction, but it is a band-aid solution to what is currently happening with what is happening with Saskatchewan’s health care.

“Recruiting and retaining staff. Keeping rural hospitals open and making sure nobody in the province is left behind because of where they live,” Clarke concluded.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) does keep track of service disruptions on their site, as well as public health alerts and advisories.

In a response to CTV News, the Government of Saskatchewan criticized the NDP’s proposed legislation, saying in part:

The proposed legislation does not hire more health-care professionals; implementing an aggressive health human resources action plan in combination with innovative strategies does. While the NDP continue to focus on portraying our health-care system in the worst possible light, our government is focused on delivering better access to care for the people of Saskatchewan."

As for the reason why health care disruptions are reported by local municipalities on platforms such as social media – the province said this is done intentionally as the municipalities often have “a larger local following than the SHA social media channels.”