Health Department Expects Health-Care Staff Shortage ’to Get Worse' in Canada

Dr. Paul Belletrutti (R) and nurse Leslie Peoples demonstrate a new surgical approach to stomach cancers at a hospital in Calgary, Alta., on March 3, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh)

A Department of Health briefing note says a national shortage of health-care workers is likely to grow. The Commons health committee estimates that Canada will experience a shortfall of more than 100,000 nurses alone by 2030.

“The shortage is expected to get worse,” said the June 19 note “Health Workforce Crisis,” as first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.

“The workforce could see a 16 percent loss in the nursing profession within the next year,” the note added.

“Canada’s health system is experiencing an unprecedented health workforce crisis,” it said.

“High patient workloads, lack of resources, mandatory overtime, and fear for personal safety have led to high levels of burnout, absences, and turnover. The impacts reverberate across all areas of the health system including the closure of emergency rooms.”

On Feb. 7, 2022, cabinet committed to providing $198.6 billion in new funding over 10 years to bolster the health-care sector. Despite the added spending, the department said it was “concerned about the mental health and well-being of Canadians and of front-line workers who are working tirelessly to keep us safe and healthy.”

“There are not enough health-care workers to meet the current demand for services,” said the note. It estimated there are currently 40,700 vacant nursing jobs.

“The job vacancy rate in the health-care and social assistance sector was 6.3 percent for Canada as a whole,” the note said, citing Statistics Canada estimates.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified many of the challenges facing the health workforce, and it is well understood the path forward must address the root cause of the crisis,” it added. “It will require transformative and innovative solutions.”

In a March 6 report, “Addressing Canada’s Health Workforce Crisis,” the Commons health committee cited Dr. Francine Lemire of the College of Family Physicians of Canada indicating that about 4.6 million Canadians are without a family physician.

“It is now predicted there will be a shortage of 117,600 nurses in Canada by 2030,” the report said.

“The committee was told that almost 70 percent of health spending goes to salaries. As such, a lack of funding, and cuts to funding, translate to fewer jobs.”

The committee recommended that Canada hire more foreign health-care workers, expand medical school enrolment capacity, implement a national licensing system for doctors and nurses, and offer incentives to attract and retain physicians specializing in family care.

This fall, the Department of Employment will introduce a 50 percent increase in student loan forgiveness, up to $40,000 for doctors and $20,000 for nurses, and for graduates who agree to work five years in rural Canada.

“Among the many factors that contribute to the limited access to health-care services in rural and remote areas is the challenge of attracting family physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners to these communities,” the department wrote in a June 24 regulatory impact analysis statement.