Doctors Manitoba warns of shortages in rural ERs over holidays

Doctors’ Manitoba is advising Manitobans that some ERs in rural areas may be closed due to staffing challenges over the holidays.

Doctors Manitoba is warning that patients in rural areas could be waiting a long time for care at emergency departments over the holiday season due to staffing.

The organization says of the 71 hospitals outside of the City of Winnipeg, 18 are expected to have emergency departments open 24/7, down from 19 a year ago. Doctors Manitoba added that 25 hospitals are expected to operate with limited hours or periodic closures and 28 ERs are fully closed.

Dr. Nichelle Desilets, president of Doctors Manitoba, said the numbers are similar to what they have been in previous years.

“The more concerning thing is that we’re seeing this trend every December with no change,” she said. “It’s showing that we’re not really solving the problem in terms of staffing emergency rooms, and that applies both to rural and urban centres.”

Desilets said rural hospitals and emergency rooms are especially vulnerable when staffing levels drop around the holidays due to illness, vacation or even weather.

“It’s a small, tight-knit team that is keeping that service available,” she said. “So, it’s just one sick call or one storm day that keeps someone from showing up to work on time, and that destabilizes that service.

“It’s not just the physicians. We need nurses. We need health-care aides. We need environmental services. There’s lots of different pieces.”

Desilets noted the province had a successful year recruiting doctors, adding a net increase of 164 doctors in 2025, but notes many work in urban areas, rather than rural centres.

She said an expansion of primary care teams in the province could help with the shortages.

“If we had a more robust, thorough, available and accessible primary care system, then we would not be seeing as much pressure on our emergency rooms and on our hospital beds,” she said.

Doctors Manitoba has resources online for rural care.

A spokesperson for Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said all regional health authorities in Manitoba are making every effort to maintain emergency department staffing, and said temporary closures are only used when a site cannot be staffed safely.

“Staffing is planned well in advance and monitored closely throughout the holidays, with adjustments made based on patient volumes, acuity and the availability of qualified providers,” the spokesperson said. “Factors such as illness, scheduled leave or severe weather can occasionally affect coverage.

“When a temporary closure is required, regions work with EMS to ensure residents continue to have access to emergency care, including transport to the nearest open site when needed.”

The spokesperson said 911 should be called during an emergency and EMS will take patients to an appropriate open facility.