CARROT RIVER VALLEY — Increased healthcare funding as among the provincial budget highlights for the MLA who represents Nipawin, Tisdale and area.
In the provincial budget released on March 22 a 6.7 per cent increase was given to the Ministry of Health. $55.5 million, an increase from 44.9 million last year, will help recruit 250 full time positions and expand part time positions in rural and remote areas of the province.
“Keeping and attracting more doctors, nurses and all healthcare professionals in our rural areas is key to maintaining the level of services,” said Fred Bradshaw, MLA for Carrot River Valley. “With increased training for physicians, who may be from rural Saskatchewan, more may come back to work in the area they grew up.”
Bradshaw also mentioned funding to the Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert, saying it was much needed and a hospital that many from his constituency utilize. He added that new incentives for physicians to work in rural Saskatchewan will also help with increasing doctors in rural Saskatchewan.
In terms of highway work, Bradshaw mentioned that a portion of Highway 55 was completed last year and that Highway 55 east of Nipawin and Highway 23 going into Carrot River, will work done in highways in 2024 and 2025.
Bradshaw noted several municipalities utilizing the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program funding for new pools, decommissioning landfills in his constituency and said that the grants has helped many communities in his area.
The MLA said he’d also like to see more products shipped from the Port of Churchill.
“With everything going on in Europe with Ukraine, it makes using Churchill more practical and cost effective than transporting goods through Vancouver and Thunder Bay which comes at a higher cost.”
