Manitoba gains ground on doctor recruitment but specialist shortage persists

A new report from the organization that represents doctors in Manitoba suggests the province continues to close the gap on physician recruitment.

But Doctors Manitoba said more work is needed to attract specialists and find physicians in rural areas.

Annual data from the group released on Thursday show the province now has 235 physicians for every 100,000 residents.

The organization said that's a 4.5 per cent increase compared with the previous year and comes close to the national average.

The shortage is nearly half the size it was three years ago, when it reached its peak.

"This is a huge amount of progress in a relatively short period of time over that three-year time gap and it deserves recognition ... but the progress is uneven," Dr. Alon Altman, president of Doctors Manitoba, told reporters.

The report was compiled using information from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba and an annual Doctors Manitoba physician survey.

It determined Manitoba is short 217 specialists. Some of the areas impacted include emergency and cardiology medicine; surgical specialties such as urology; and nuclear medicine and radiology.

Altman said these shortages contribute to longer waits for consultations, tests and surgeries.

"These aren't just numbers; this affects the entire system," he said.

The shortage has prompted some patients to travel out of province and in some situations pay out of pocket to receive faster care, said Altman.

Most of the physician growth seen elsewhere is fueled by international recruits, including some doctors the province hired from overseas, the organization said.

The province has said that focused recruitment efforts in the United Kingdom over the last two years have resulted in 52 hires. Another 42 physicians have moved from elsewhere in Canada.

While recruitment efforts have improved, retention strategies are needed. The report found 40 per cent of physicians are considering retiring, leaving the province or reducing their clinical hours in the next three years.

Kathleen Cook, health critic for the Opposition Progressive Conservatives, said the NDP government needs to address working conditions, including burnout, isolation and low morale, to keep Manitoba a competitive market.

"Bringing more doctors into the system is a good thing only insofar as we're actually keeping them. If we're losing them further down the line, then it's going to be a major problem for Manitoba," she said.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara acknowledged more work is needed to tackle wait times for emergency rooms and surgeries.

"Reports like this one from Doctors Manitoba help chart a path forward, and we’re going to keep working," said Asagwara.

Doctors Manitoba is urging the government invest in equipment and technology, reduce administrative red tape and include physicians in decision-making that affects medical care.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2026.

By Brittany Hobson | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.