Saskatchewan NDP urges province to ditch review, take quick action on hospital safety

REGINA – Saskatchewan’s Opposition NDP is accusing the province of acting slowly on addressing hospital safety concerns, arguing it doesn’t need another report to examine issues.

Last week, Premier Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party government announced a review into hospital security while installing metal detectors in some emergency rooms — but the NDP said Monday the provincial auditor had already pointed out those issues a year ago. 

“We don’t need another analysis, another report, another consultant. We need action,” NDP health critic Meara Conway told reporters. 

The December 2024 report found a Health Ministry committee that reviews critical cases was weak at finding ways to eliminate the root cause of safety issues in hospitals. 

The report says the committee had recommended the ministry create a policy to prohibit weapons, but the auditor suggested stronger measures, such as metal detectors, be considered. 

Conway said the finding is evidence the province already knew what it needed to do on hospital safety.

She also cited a 2024 Health Ministry report that found there were 22 criminal events in health facilities in the last two years. 

“Between those two years, violent incidents more than doubled,” Conway said. “And it was stated by the auditor that the Ministry of Health acknowledged and knew that these violent incidents were underreported.” 

Conway noted the report doesn’t track violence toward staff.

She also called the province’s latest announcement to address hospital security “performative.” 

“This was a reactive photo op to quell another crisis,” Conway said. “This is not leadership.”

Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill, in a statement, accused the NDP of criticizing the health-care system without offering no ideas to improve it. 

“The implementation of metal detectors is not the only solution, but an important step going forward as we work together with the Saskatchewan Health Authority to improve access to care and security,” he said.

“Anyone who enters a health-care facility in the province deserves to feel safe. That is why this announcement for an independent review is an important step in strengthening hospital safety and security provincewide.”

The province’s review, which is to examine how security is delivered and where safety can be enhanced, comes after workers reported growing violence.

Saskatchewan’s government has installed metal detectors at emergency room entrances in Regina and Saskatoon hospitals. The devices are to be installed in February at the hospitals in Prince Albert, North Battleford and Regina’s Urgent Care Centre.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority plans to hire an additional 51 officers to help staff the metal detectors. Both the devices and extra officers are to cost $3 million.

Nathaniel Teed, the NDP labour critic, said there’s major understaffing in security. He argued pay raises could help attract more people to work in those positions.

“These are folks who haven’t seen a pay increase for four years and have gone without a collective agreement for three (years),” Teed said. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 26, 2026.