Manitoba was supposed to get 150 doctors from a recruitment firm. The province got 2 – CBC
Province has ended largely ineffective recruiting contract, will only pay for the 2 new physicians
Aug 13, 2025
A staffing agency hired by Manitoba’s former Progressive Conservative government on a promise to recruit 150 doctors to the province in fact only managed to bring two.
The two-year contract with Canadian Health Labs was initially hailed as a critical piece in Manitoba’s efforts to find more doctors, particularly in rural and northern areas, where jobs are typically harder to fill.
But the contract expired last month, after the current NDP government didn’t exercise its option for a third year. It confirmed to Radio-Canada that only two doctors were recruited under the contract.
The fact the company recruited just over one per cent of the 150 doctors promised is frustrating for Breanne Mueller, who has been looking for a family doctor in Steinbach for the 12 years she’s lived there.
“Where do they find these recruitment companies?” she asked.
