This week, the province went back to some of the private nursing agencies it dropped in an effort to find enough nurses to address staffing shortages. Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said extending the use of private agencies temporarily will ensure 'safe and reliable care' for patients. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementAre you affected by the reduction in private nursing agencies? The planned reduction in the number of nursing agencies also resulted in new limits on what nurses can earn for travel. The province's spending on private nursing agencies has soared year-over-year, rising from $26.9 million in 2020-21 to $80 million in 2024-25, Shared Health said.

Source: CBC News January 21, 2026 14:09 UTC