St. Boniface Hospital receives grey list designation: Manitoba Nurses Union

For the third time in less than a year, nurses have voted to grey list a Manitoba hospital.

Another Manitoba hospital has been grey listed.

The Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) announced Friday that 94 per cent of nurses at St. Boniface Hospital have voted to grey list the facility.

“They are done working in an environment where serious safety concerns are acknowledged but not resolved. It cannot continue to be the same shift, different day when it comes to violence and unsafe conditions,” said Darlene Jackson, MNU president, in a news release.

This is the third hospital in the province to be grey listed in the last year. Health Sciences Centre and Thompson General Hospital received a similar fate in 2025.

The MNU said this vote shows nurses are focused on their well-being and want the hospital to make that a priority as well.

“The employer now has a clear opportunity to meet the reasonable conditions set by nurses. The decision to lift the grey list rests entirely with them,” it said.

“Our members are not asking for the impossible. They are asking for a safe workplace and the supports needed to provide safe patient care.”

The MNU represents around 13,000 nurses across Manitoba.

It says grey listing is when the union “advises current and prospective members not to seek employment at a specific facility due to ongoing unsafe or inappropriate working conditions. It is not a strike or job action.”

The Manitoba government recently announced new security measures for hospitals, including plans to hire more security guards.

In a statement from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority on behalf of St. Boniface Hospital, a spokesperson said leadership at the hospital takes this “very seriously.”

“Staff safety matters to us. Everyone deserves to work in an environment where they feel respected, supported, and protected. We continue to work on real and meaningful steps through a collaborative and informed approach to ensure safety and well-being of all in the workplace. This work is guided by feedback from staff, unions, government officials as well as the Winnipeg Police Service,” the spokesperson said.

They said several safety enhancements have already been put in place, including 18 Institutional Safety Officers being added to the hospital.

“The work to improve safety and security is ongoing and progressing. We know there is more to do and we are committed to listening and taking meaningful, informed steps, including addressing recommendations by the MNU. These steps will help us work towards the goal of a safe environment for staff, patients and visitors to St. Boniface Hospital.”

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