Manitoba Cuts Ties with Over 70 Nursing Agencies to Strengthen Public Health

The Manitoba government has officially severed ties with more than 70 private nursing agencies, a significant step in its commitment to reduce reliance on privatized health care. As of January 15, 2026, only four agencies will be permitted to fill nursing vacancies in public health facilities, according to Shared Health, the province’s health authority.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara emphasized the importance of this decision, stating, “This is an important step that could have been taken, and should have been taken, years ago.” The change aims to ensure that the province can deliver high-quality care more consistently through the public system, which Asagwara identifies as essential for patient well-being.

The selected agencies, which include Elite Intellicare Staffing, Integra Health, Bayshore HealthCare, and Augury Healthcare, were chosen through a competitive process that began with a request-for-proposal in December 2024. This initiative comes as a response to soaring costs associated with private nursing agencies, which have ballooned from $26.9 million in 2020-21 to an estimated $80 million in 2024-25. As of October 31, 2025, the province had already spent $34 million on agency nurses for the current fiscal year.

Asagwara criticized the previous government’s approach, describing it as creating a “for-profit, cottage-like industry” that profited without providing adequate care. The province’s strategy includes the hope that nurses currently employed by private agencies will transition to one of the approved agencies or, ideally, join the public system.

Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, voiced her support for the changes. She noted the increase in the number of private agencies in recent years, which raised concerns about costs and quality. “We need to be bolstering our public health-care system, not lining the pockets of private, for-profit businesses,” Jackson stated.

To enhance accountability, under the new contracts, agencies will be required to employ nurses directly, eliminating previous informal practices that often left nurses working as third-party schedulers. Each regional health authority will be assigned contracts with primary, secondary, and tertiary nursing agencies, establishing a clear hierarchy for filling staffing vacancies.

The decision has faced criticism from various quarters. A Manitoba-based private agency owner, who spoke anonymously, reported a 50 percent drop in profits and a loss of up to 200 staff over the past year. He expressed concern that many nurses would seek opportunities in other provinces due to the tightening restrictions in Manitoba. The owner pointed out that many nurses prefer the flexibility offered by private agencies, which allows them to manage their own schedules and avoid internal politics.

Kathleen Cook, the health critic for the Progressive Conservative Party, acknowledged the merits of reducing costs associated with private agencies but cautioned that such measures should not compromise patient care, especially in under-resourced areas. She questioned whether the current plan adequately addresses the reasons nurses have chosen private agencies in the first place.

Asagwara countered these concerns by highlighting positive developments, noting that some nurses from the travel float pool have started securing permanent positions in public health facilities. The minister cited the Prairie Mountain Health region as an example of progress, indicating that the regional authority has already managed to cut private nurse spending by 14 percent against a target reduction of 15 percent by March 2026.

The Manitoba government’s strategic pivot marks a significant moment in its approach to healthcare delivery and staffing in the province. With a focus on reinforcing the public system, officials aim to ensure that quality care is both accessible and sustainable for all Manitobans.