Saskatchewan NDP seniors critic Keith Jorgenson says a shortage of long-term care beds is putting pressure on seniors, families and hospitals in Prince Albert, while the provincial government says it is investing in home care and new long-term care infrastructure.
Jorgenson, the MLA for Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood and the NDP critic for seniors and associate health critic, spoke to the Daily Herald in Prince Albert on Friday after the party released data it says was obtained through a freedom of information request.
The NDP says Saskatchewan had 181 long-term care facilities with 8,944 beds in 2007. As of 2025, the party says the number of facilities had dropped to 161 and the number of available long-term care beds had fallen to 8,823.
Jorgenson said the decrease is serious because Saskatchewan’s senior population has grown sharply over the same period.
“That’s a relatively small decrease in the number of beds, but what everyone has to remember is that the number of seniors in Saskatchewan has grown by approximately 80,000,” he said.
Jorgenson said the issue affects Prince Albert because Victoria Hospital serves not only the city, but much of northern Saskatchewan.
He said when people are medically ready to leave hospital but cannot get a long-term care space, they can remain in acute care beds. That creates a backup that can affect emergency rooms and other hospital services.
“If you go to Victoria Hospital, part of the reason why Victoria Hospital’s emergency room will be overcrowded is because a lot of the regular beds in the hospital are being used by people who are waiting long-term care and stuck in the hospital,” Jorgenson said.
He said the problem becomes more serious in northern communities with fewer care options.
“PA has a very unique role in the province, and it provides services for the entire northern half of the province,” Jorgenson said. “If there’s communities that don’t have long-term care beds, don’t have a long-term care facility at all, or don’t have enough beds, all of that flows directly into PA.”
Jorgenson said families have told the NDP about seniors waiting too long for care, sometimes in hospital and sometimes at home without enough support. He said staffing is also a concern, with care needs increasing while staffing levels have not kept pace.
He said the province needs more long-term care beds, but also more supports that allow people to stay safely at home longer. That includes home care, day programming and respite beds for caregivers who need a break.
Jorgenson said those supports can help seniors age with dignity while reducing pressure on hospitals.
“We’re spending more money to get poorer service,” he said. “An acute care bed is way more expensive than a long-term care bed.”
Jorgenson said Prince Albert needs action as soon as possible.
“We need an increase in the number of beds, and I don’t see a plan from the government to do that,” he said.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health said its priority is to ensure Saskatchewan residents receive safe, appropriate care in the right place, at the right time.
The ministry said many residents want to remain independent and stay in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. It said that preference is reflected in how long-term care is evolving across the province, with increased investments in home care and specialized services.
According to the ministry, provincial spending on home care has increased by approximately 20 percent over the past 10 years. The ministry said home care now supports people with acute, palliative and ongoing care needs, allowing more seniors to remain safely at home and, in some cases, receive hospital-level care without moving into long-term care.
The ministry also pointed to $150.2 million in the 2026-27 provincial budget for new long-term care infrastructure projects across Saskatchewan. That is a $57.6 million increase from the 2025-26 capital long-term care budget.
The projects include construction of a new 240-bed specialized long-term care facility in Regina, a new 80-bed long-term care facility in La Ronge and a new 33-bed long-term care facility in Grenfell. The province says the La Ronge project will increase capacity by 64 beds from the current space, while planning is also underway for new long-term care projects in the Battlefords, Esterhazy, Watson and Estevan.
“Our government remains committed to strengthening the full continuum of seniors’ care, from home care and community supports to specialized and long-term care services, so Saskatchewan seniors receive high-quality care wherever they call home,” Seniors Minister Lori Carr said in a statement.
The ministry pointed to province-wide home care and long-term investments, but did not provide Prince Albert-specific bed or wait-list numbers.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
