Numbers provided to BorderPulse by Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s office reveal the scope of rural healthcare disruptions.
The Saskatchewan government’s own data shows more than 2,000 emergency room closures due to lack of physician coverage since July 2023 – roughly one per day.
The numbers came in response to questions from BorderPulse about Bill 606, The Provincial Health Authority (ER Closure Right-to-Know) Amendment Act – NDP legislation that would require public notification of ER closures within one hour.
The government provided the numbers while defending its healthcare record.
The math the government handed us
A spokesperson for Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill told BorderPulse the province’s Virtual Physician Program has prevented more than 6,000 potential emergency room disruptions between July 2023 and April 11, 2026.
In the same period, the numbers show more than 2,000 disruptions still occurred.
That works out to roughly one emergency room closure per day – every day – for nearly three years.
The government did not dispute those numbers. They provided them.
The public still can’t see it in real time
BorderPulse asked directly whether an internal real-time ER closure tracker exists within the Saskatchewan Health Authority. The government confirmed it does.
“The Saskatchewan Health Authority monitors emergency department and acute care capacity across all hospital sites in the province on a continuous, real-time basis,” the spokesperson said.
The government said the internal tool “can contain errors as disruptions can occur on short notice and are subject to frequent changes” – and warned that interpreting internal documents outside their intended context “should be done with caution.”
The public cannot access it.
Currently, the SHA posts closures once per day at 4 p.m. When asked how residents are supposed to know if their local ER is open or closed between updates, the government pointed to HealthLine 811 and emergency services.
“In the event of an emergency, 911 should always be called,” the spokesperson said. “When 911 is called, paramedics can assess, treat and transport the patient to the nearest and most appropriate location.”
Bill 606 sponsor Jared Clarke has argued that calling 911 is not a realistic answer for a rural resident who simply needs to know whether to drive 45 minutes to a local ER or an hour and a half to the next one.
Where Bill 606 stands
The bill passed second reading with support from both sides of the legislature, including Premier Scott Moe. It has since stalled in Committee of the Whole with no date set for further consideration.
“People deserve to know this critical information in the event of an emergency,” Clarke has previously said. “They deserve to know if their local ER is open or closed.”
Read more: Sask. Party blocks ER closure bill after MLA’s voted for It
