Health care, housing, highways among issues in byelection
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/08/2025 (238 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Over the next few weeks ahead of the Spruce Woods byelection, the Sun will talk with people in communities around the riding on what’s important to them and the area.
SOURIS — Health care, roads and housing are concerns worrying Souris residents most heading into the upcoming provincial byelection in Spruce Woods on Aug. 26.
Health care was a main concern, as the Souris Health Centre’s emergency department doesn’t run 24 hours every day.
Drake Young, who is from Souris, said his sister is a travelling nurse, and that it’s too difficult for new people in health care to get the qualifications for the job.
“I think it should be easier to obtain an education in health care, especially because it’s so demanding,” Young said.
“They’re so understaffed, they need a lot of help in the health-care division, and it would make it affordable for everyone else if there were more health-care employees.”
He said he has gone to the hospital in Souris a few times and everything has gone well, but that the ER’s limited hours can be tough on the town’s residents.
“That’s pretty detrimental. I mean, the next closest place is Brandon and that’s a 30-minute drive, if you’re lucky,” Young said.
Cassandra Shand, who was walking her nine-month-old son along First Street South, said an important issue for her is the need for more housing in town. She has been looking for a two-bedroom apartment for a while, but is stuck in a one-bedroom space because there aren’t enough places available.
“One thing this town needs is a really big apartment complex,” Shand said. “We just keep on having so many people coming to town, but there’s nothing available for rent or for sale.
“Not just a few houses here and there — we need a huge complex,” she said. “I just don’t know where you would stick it.”
A suitable complex, she said, would need to include at least 25 to 30 apartments.
Shand also said she’s happy with how the daycare situation is going in Souris, especially as other parts of the province have a lack of space available.
Her son, she said, is “not at that age yet, but he will be eventually going to daycare, and I know that there’s lots of daycare options around, so that’s good. That’s one thing I noticed about this town is there’s lots of childcare (spaces) available.”
Another resident in town said highways in the area need to be fixed, especially parts of the Red Coat Trail.
“You’ve got to do some fixing on some of these roads,” said Wayne Gordon, 87, as he was leaving his home and getting in his car. “The No. 2 highway west (of Souris) is deplorable.”
“Taking a tank of water behind the truck, you can hardly sit in the seat” because it’s so bumpy, he said.
» alambert@brandonsun.com