Rural recruitment incentive expands to 12 more Saskatchewan communities

“The expansion of the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive Program will continue to deliver real results by attracting more health professionals to communities that need them most.”

The recruitment program was created in 2022 as part of the provincial response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has helped reduce vacancies by 44 per cent in eligible communities, with more than 650 vacant positions filled. It has a budget of $8.7 million.

“We appreciate the Saskatchewan government’s continued support for rural communities through the expansion of the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive Program,” Stoughton Mayor Stefan Clark said.

“Together with our partners at the RM of Tecumseh, this opportunity will support efforts to recruit a nurse practitioner and improve access to timely health care closer to home for residents of Stoughton and the surrounding area. It will help reduce travel for care and allow more seniors and families to remain in their community.”

The priority occupations included in the incentives are registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses, continuing care aides, medical laboratory technologists, medical laboratory assistants, medical radiation technologists, and combined laboratory and X-ray technicians.

The RRRI program is a key component of Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources Action Plan, which has supported the recruitment of more than 7,500 health-care professionals since 2023. The plan focuses on expanding training, strengthening retention, stabilizing rural and northern services, and building a workforce that meets the needs of a growing province.

Eligibility for the additional 12 communities takes effect Sept. 1.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

by Susan McNeil

Rural recruitment incentive expands to 12 more Saskatchewan communities

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