Manitoba Reverses Agency Ban to Address Nursing Shortages

The Manitoba government has reversed its recent decision to sever ties with some private nursing agencies, allowing them to fill shifts in rural areas such as Dauphin and Swan River. This temporary measure aims to address staffing shortages and ensure safe patient care amidst ongoing challenges in the healthcare system.

Previously, the province had contracts with over 70 private nursing agencies, but announced plans to reduce that number to just four effective January 15, 2024. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara noted that health regions are being supported to manage patient care in real time. This includes the flexibility to temporarily engage with agencies outside the approved selection process, reflecting an urgent need for staffing solutions.

Critics, including Progressive Conservative health critic Kathleen Cook, have voiced concerns that the government rushed the policy change without adequately staffing regions like Prairie Mountain Health. Cook emphasized that a more gradual approach would have been beneficial, suggesting a pilot rollout in areas less reliant on agency nurses.

Asagwara acknowledged the potential for short-term adjustments as the healthcare system adapts to the new policy. “We expect stability to continue improving as more nurses transition into approved agencies or the provincial travel nurse program,” he stated. Nevertheless, Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, warned that many facilities are struggling with significant vacancy rates, with some units in Dauphin and Swan River hospitals reporting up to a 50 percent vacancy rate.

Jackson described the situation as chaotic, explaining that the transition has forced public sector nurses to work extended hours and come in on their days off, leading to increased exhaustion and burnout. “Health-care employers recognize that asking nurses to work overtime every day isn’t beneficial to staff or patients,” she said.

The temporary extension of agency relationships offers some immediate relief, but Jackson expressed a desire for more support from the provincial travel nurse team established in response to the reduction in agency usage. “It doesn’t take much of a jump to see that this is going to affect some facilities more than others,” she added, reflecting on the need for better preparation during the transition.

The provincial travel nurse team has seen growth, expanding from 280 nurses in December 2024 to 630 nurses. This initiative aims to decrease the reliance on agency nurses, which the government has attempted to manage through a tender process initiated in December 2024. The four agencies selected to provide services—Elite Intellicare Staffing, Integra Health, Bayshore HealthCare, and Augury Healthcare—are expected to play a crucial role in filling gaps in patient care.

In a bid to control its spending on agency nurses, the government mandated Prairie Mountain Health to cut its expenditure by 15 percent before March 2026. The health authority’s spending on agency nurses skyrocketed from $8.1 million in 2020-21 to $35 million in 2024-25. Asagwara previously stated that the region has managed to cut agency costs by 14 percent thus far.

Despite the government’s efforts, the owner of a Winnipeg-based nursing agency, no longer under contract, revealed that Prairie Mountain Health began contacting unapproved agencies shortly after severing ties. The owner, who wished to remain anonymous due to concerns over potential retribution, stated that the situation has been devastating for many in the nursing community.

“Nurses like working for private agencies because it can be difficult to find a full-time job in the public system,” the owner explained, emphasizing the increased flexibility that agency work provides. While some former employees have begun the onboarding process with the provincial travel nurse team, many remain uncertain about their future in the healthcare landscape of Manitoba.

As the province navigates these challenges, the temporary allowance for private nursing agencies serves as a critical stopgap, highlighting the ongoing complexities within the healthcare system and the urgent need for sustainable staffing solutions.