Up-to-date training, ‘tools of yesterday’

Dozens of specialized doctors are leaving Manitoba each year due to shortages of modern medical technology that hampers their work, according to a physicians' advocacy group. "They are trained in the medicine of today, and they arrive in Manitoba and they find the tools of yesterday," said Keir Johnson, a spokesperson for Doctors Manitoba.

The organization's annual report reveals that the province is short 217 specialists, or over 90% of the overall doctor shortage. While Manitoba has seen a 4.5% increase in physicians per 100,000 residents, the report indicates the province needs 229 more doctors to reach the Canadian average of 245. The shortage is particularly acute in rural areas, where there are "serious gaps."

The report highlights a lack of specialty equipment, such as surgical robots, which are shared among multiple specialties in Manitoba. Multiple provinces have more units of these technologies, leading to longer wait times for patients. Staffing shortages are also widespread, impacting consultations, diagnostic tests, and surgeries.

The provincial recruitment office has helped attract 137 physicians to the province since 2024, including 18 in the western region, but 658 doctors are considering leaving or retiring in the next three years. This would undermine the progress made in combating the doctor shortage.