Opposition Leader Carla Beck said the fourth round of Sask Polytech layoffs and recent hospital safety incidents are signs of deeper strain in Saskatchewan’s education and healthcare systems, as she brought her 27-member caucus to Prince Albert Tuesday before heading out to knock on doors.
Speaking outside the Crescent Heights Arena on Branion Drive before heading out to knock on doors, Beck said the most recent round of Sask Polytech layoffs marks the fourth wave of cuts and disproportionately affects Prince Albert. She described the layoffs and hospital safety concerns as provincial downloading onto municipalities.
“We know that of the 23 layoffs that have been announced, more than half of them are here in Prince Albert,” Beck said. “There are more layoffs yet to come.”
She acknowledged declining international student enrollment has disrupted the funding model for postsecondary institutions but argued that cutting instructors is the wrong response.
“The loss of international students has upended the funding model for postsecondary education in this province, for sure,” she said. “There has got to be a better solution than just laying off.”
Beck framed the issue as part of a broader concern about youth opportunity and workforce development in Saskatchewan.
In a year-end interview with the Herald last December, Beck warned that the province was losing young people at a higher rate than others and described education underfunding as short-sighted. On Tuesday, she said reducing training capacity only deepens that risk.
In a press release issued Feb. 3, Saskatchewan Polytechnic said they have made “significant progress” toward organizational sustainability, but continue to face significant challenges in “the international education landscape.”
Saskatchewan Polytechnic says that accounts for the 23 full-time and part-time layoff noticies. The school also said additional “workforce adjustements” may be required in the spring.
The school did not share which positions, departments, or programs were impacted.
The Opposition Leader also raised concerns about hospital safety following recent incidents in Saskatchewan facilities. When asked whether the situation points to a systematic problem, Beck called for a public inquiry into hospital safety but did not specify who she believes is responsible for the incidents.
“It is very clear that we have a problem when it comes to safety for not only those working in hospitals but also those who are patients in hospitals,” she said. “What we have called for is an inquiry to actually find a solution.”
In December, Beck said Saskatchewan was seeing record emergency room outages and that healthcare workers were reporting burnout and frustration. On Tuesday, she argued that recent security incidents add urgency to those concerns and require transparent findings.
Beck also criticized what she described as provincial downloading tied to the expansion of Victoria Hospital, saying the cost would ultimately fall on Prince Albert ratepayers.
“It is the ratepayers, the citizens of Prince Albert, that are going to be paying the price,” she said.
After taking questions from the media, Beck and caucus members dispersed into neighbourhoods across Prince Albert. She said the visit was about connecting directly with residents rather than taking support for granted.
“Politics is not just about what happens in election times. It is about what happens in between,” Beck said. “You cannot meet the needs in communities like Prince Albert unless you are prepared to show up.”
Beck said her party will continue returning to the city and bringing forward policy proposals on healthcare, education, and energy in the months ahead.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
