‘More security, less drama’: Sask. Health sees results from new ad campaign attracting American doctors

WATCH: Saskatchewan is seeing some success from its digital advertising campaign targeting American doctors.

Saskatchewan is seeing some success from its digital advertising campaign targeting American doctors.

The ads target family doctors, anesthetists, and emergency room physicians — encouraging them to move to Saskatchewan.

“More security and less drama. Join us in Saskatchewan!” one of the ads reads.

As a result of the campaign, the Ministry of Health said it’s met virtually with two American anesthesiologists and a meeting with an emergency physician is scheduled.

Saskatchewan Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said he wants American doctors, moving to Canada, to look at Saskatchewan as “the place of choice.”

He says the ads are directed at coastal states.

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Along with a lower cost of living, Cockrill said Saskatchewan can offer security to doctors who may be concerned about their visas getting renewed — amid uncertain U.S. immigration policies.

“We can provide certainty in Canada. We can provide certainty in Saskatchewan,” Cockrill said.

Since Donald Trump was elected, CanAm Physician Recruiting has seen a spike in American doctors inquiring about moving to Canada.

“We’ve seen numbers doubled,” physician recruiter Rohini Patel told CTV News.

Patel said some doctors are worried that the Trump administration’s policies will clash with their values and affect how they practice medicine.

In this political climate, Patel said she’s seeing doctors less picky about which province they practice in.

“I work with doctors on a daily basis. Are they attracted to Saskatchewan? No. It’s more Ontario, B.C. I feel like the awareness of Saskatchewan is just not out there,” Patel said.

Patel said Saskatchewan needs strong incentives to compete with Ontario and British Columbia.

“We’ve got great incentives here in Saskatchewan,” Cockrill said — referencing a $200,000 incentive, over five years, to doctors who practice in rural Saskatchewan.

The ads are running on “webpages, apps, and social media locations that American physicians routinely visit,” according to the Ministry of Health.

The campaign cost $60,000.