The provincial government says a new multi-year post-secondary funding agreement and an independent hospital safety review are already underway.
The province made the statement in response to concerns raised this week in Prince Albert by Opposition Leader Carla Beck. Beck was in the city calling attention to Saskatchewan Polytechnic layoffs and safety pressures within Saskatchewan hospitals, including concerns voiced by frontline care workers.
In a statement provided to the Daily Herald, the Ministry of Advanced Education pointed to a recently announced four-year funding agreement that will provide approximately $250 million in additional operating funding to postsecondary institutions across Saskatchewan, effective April 1, 2026.
“The agreement guarantees funding increases of three percent each year,” the ministry said, adding that the multi-year structure is intended to provide institutions with greater certainty while aligning training with labour market priorities.
When asked how many of the recently announced Sask Polytechnic layoffs were located in Prince Albert and which program areas were affected, the government said Saskatchewan Polytechnic can provide specific details.
The ministry did not provide figures specific to Prince Albert and said it is not involved in staffing decisions at the institution.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic did not provide additional details by the Daily Herald’s deadline.
In response to concerns that repeated layoffs could undermine training capacity during skilled labour shortages, the ministry said institutions across Canada are facing layoffs due to federal changes to the International Student Program. It added that such decisions are difficult and not made lightly.
The government did not directly state whether further layoffs are anticipated in 2026.
Earlier this week, Beck argued that repeated layoffs at Saskatchewan Polytechnic raise questions about long-term stability at regional campuses such as Prince Albert. She also called for stronger action on hospital safety, citing recent incidents and concerns raised by healthcare workers.
On the health care side, the Saskatchewan Health Authority confirmed that an independent third-party review of hospital safety and security was announced January 22 by the Ministry of Health at the request of the SHA.
According to the January 22 government release, the review will examine current Protective Services practices across hospitals and provide recommendations to improve safety for patients, visitors, and staff. It will assess standards, training, tools, infrastructure, partnerships with Indigenous organizations, and lessons learned from past incidents.
Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said at the time of the announcement that patients, visitors, and staff must be safe in health care facilities and that the review would help identify improvements to support safer environments.
The SHA said immediate measures are already in place, including the implementation of metal detectors at emergency department entrances in Saskatoon, Regina, North Battleford, and Prince Albert. It also reported having more than 250 Protective Services officers across the province and 24-hour staffing at larger acute care sites.
In 2025-26, the Ministry of Health provided $2.5 million to support additional protective services staffing at sites with increased need, building on a previous investment of $3.974 million in 2023-24.
The SHA also pointed to workforce stabilization efforts. Vacancy rates in hard-to-recruit classifications have dropped from 6.5 percent in January 2023 to 3.4 percent in January 2026. Chronic nursing vacancies in permanent full-time and part-time roles have fallen from 8.0 percent to 3.1 percent over the same period. Rural and northern communities saw a decline from 11.6 percent to 3.3 percent.
The health authority did not directly address Beck’s assertion that staff in Prince Albert continue to raise concerns about safety conditions but said the independent review will help further system improvements.
While Beck has called for greater transparency and stronger action, the provincial government maintains that its funding agreement and the January 22 safety review demonstrate ongoing efforts to support regional education institutions and strengthen hospital security across Saskatchewan.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
