In a medical emergency, the last thing most of us want to worry about is paying for parking.
But a change to parking at Regina’s general hospital and Pasqua hospital has families running to move their cars.
It’s a move made by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), which now forces people to pay at parking meters in the emergency department.
That means when someone visits an emergency room, they will be forced to pay for parking.
Saskatchewan Health Minister Everett Hindley said the move aligns with practices at the other SHA hospitals in Saskatoon, but he doesn’t want it to be a burden on families.
“At a time where you may be visiting a hospital in an emergency situation that’s obviously not ideal and (parking) is the last thing on your mind,” Hindley said. “You’re wanting to get parked and get your family member or your friend or whoever it is, the care that they need.
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“It would be my expectation that the SHA be mindful of those circumstances.”
Hindley said he will discuss the changes further with the SHA and find more reasons behind the change.
For Saskatchewan NDP health critic Vicki Mowat, the simple fact is patients shouldn’t have to pay when they need to go to the emergency room.
“They are in an emergency situation, they shouldn’t have to get out their credit card or download an app when someone is having an emergency in their family,” Mowat said. “They shouldn’t come back from an emergency room with a parking ticket.”
The province says 43 nurses from the Philippines have now arrived in Saskatchewan and are participating in on-site clinical training.
It says once they complete clinical training, the nurses will be eligible for licensing and ready to begin working in Saskatchewan’s health-care system before the end of December.
More than 400 nurses from the Philippines have received conditional offers of employment from the Saskatchewan Health Authority to work in the province.
RSV vaccine cost significant barrier to older Canadians despite availability, experts say
The SHA says photo identification is needed for immunization appointments to verify identity, and vaccines are also offered at local pharmacies, with a map of participating pharmacies on its website.
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Dr. Simon Kapaj, the medical health officer for the SHA located in Saskatoon, said they’ve started the immunization campaign, noting they’ve been working hard to make these clinics available.
He said in extreme cases the flu virus can attack our immune system.
“As a result, it can lead to complications like lung failure or heart failure,” Kapaj said.
He said immunization was particularly important for people at long-term care centres, kids, anyone with chronic medical conditions and people who interact with those groups.
“For example, our relatives. If we want to protect them, especially seniors, the best way is by getting the flu shot, and to that matter, at the same time, a COVID-19 shot as well.”
Saskatchewan Health Authority notified the public that an individual who tested COVID-19 positive visited the following business when the individual was likely infectious: August 26 – Southland Co-op, Coronach Food Store, 112 Centre Street, from 3-3:15 p.m.
Public Health officials advised individuals who were at this location on the specified date during the specified time to immediately self-isolate if they have had or currently have symptoms of COVID-19 and to call HealthLine 811 to arrange for testing.
All other individuals who are not experiencing symptoms should self monitor for 14 days after this exposure. It is important to note that individuals may develop symptoms from two to 14 days following exposure to the virus causing COVID-19.
Additionally, the SHA alerted the public of possible exposure to COVID-19 at Fresh Start on 122 Third Avenue West from about 1:20 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. and another possible exposure at the Timothy Daniels Clothing Company on 316 Centre Street in Assiniboia from around 2 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. on August 25.
Read more about Assiniboia and COVID on the SHA website.
RCMP in Rosthern say they’ve identified a man who was injured on Sunday on Highway 11.
Around 3 a.m. on Sunday, police received a report of a collision involving a pedestrian on the highway a few kilometres north of Duck Lake, according to an RCMP news release.
Officers found an injured man at the scene who was taken to hospital for treatment, while police said the driver stayed behind.
RCMP did not say whether the man’s injuries were serious or not. On Monday morning, they were still trying to find out who he was.
Police shared a photo of the man, whose arm bears a distinctive tattoo that says “12 14 2022” in Roman numerals.
RCMP said in a statement around 5 p.m. Monday the man had been identified and hailed from the North Battleford area.
“Our thoughts are with his family,” RCMP said.
Duck Lake is located about 83 kilometres north of Saskatoon.
Whether or not your parents own a home makes you twice as likely to own one yourself, according to a new data analysis by Statistics Canada.
In a report published Monday, the data agency crunched the numbers on home ownership rates across income levels, provinces and age brackets and found that one of the best determinants of whether or not a young adult owned a home in 2021 was whether or not their parents did.
Specifically, the report looked at people born in the 1990s, which means it’s examining an age cohort between the age of 23 and 33 years old.
Among everyone born that decade, the home ownership rate was 15.1 per cent, but older members of the cohort were more likely to own than younger ones.
The home ownership rate for people born in 1990 was 33 per cent. For those born in 1999, the ownership rate is just 2.1 per cent.
Age being a factor in ownership is perhaps to be expected, but the ownership status of the generation above them had almost as large an impact on the numbers.
Almost one out of every six Canadians born in the 1990s owned a home in 2021, but among those whose parents didn’t own a home, the ownership percentage was 8.1 per cent — about one out of every 11.
If the young adult’s parents own a home, however, the ownership ratio jumps to 17.4 per cent. That makes them more than twice as likely.
And the more homes the parental generation owns, the more likely the children were to own, too.
Generational effect
If parents own one home, it’s 14.7 per cent. Among parents who own two homes, the ratio was 23.8 per cent — almost three times as much. Among parents who own three or more properties, the ratio leaps to 27.8 per cent, and those ownership habits tend to pass on, too:
More than half of the young adults who own multiple properties — 52.8 per cent — have parents who own multiple properties, too.
While the report stops short of implying a causal relationship between the two trends, it does cite research showing that adult children of homeowners benefit from the mere existence of “The Bank of Mom and Dad,” because they are more likely to buy in the first place, more likely to get help with a down payment and more likely to buy more expensive homes when they do.
“Parental property ownership is positively associated with their adult children’s likelihood of home ownership when the adult children’s income, age and province of residence are held constant,” the report found.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is advising residents of Porcupine Plain and area of expanded emergency room hours at the Porcupine Carragana Hospital starting Saturday, July 1 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, with the official launch of the Virtual Physician (VP) pilot program.
Virtual Physician pilot is a temporary measure that uses HealthLine 811 to provide nursing staff with remote access to physicians located elsewhere in the province during periods of physician shortages or other coverage issues in a community.
Due to the remote nature of the VP program, ER patients requiring urgent or life-threatening care will be transported to an appropriate acute care facility for treatment by an on-site physician. The status of on-site care of patients that present to the ER will be determined by the health assessment of the VP, will be limited according to the scope of practice of the Registered Nurses (RNs) and Combined Laboratory and X-ray Technologists (CLXTS) on duty, and may require Emergency Medical Services (EMS) transport to another location for treatment.
In addition to launching the pilot, the SHA has continued to work to fill gaps with on-site physician coverage over the summer months with locums. This work, along with the support of the local on-site physician, and nursing, lab, and diagnostic imaging staff, has resulted in the initial increase in ER hours from the current hours of 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Following this first expansion, starting Monday, July 10, the SHA will then further increase ER hours to 8 a.m. to 12 midnight daily.
A second physician is currently in the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program and is expected to begin providing services in Porcupine Plain in July.
The SHA is committed to restoring 24/7 emergency services in Porcupine Plain and full ED and acute care services will continue to expand when additional local physician resources become available. Alternate Level of Care (ALC) admissions will remain in place in the meantime.
In the event of an emergency, residents should call 911. If residents have questions about their health or mental health, professional advice is available by calling 811 to reach the Saskatchewan HealthLine toll-free 24 hours per day.
Recruiting and retaining health professionals is a top priority for the SHA and the government. Expanding the Rural Physician Incentive Program is part of the Government of Saskatchewan’s nearly $100 million investment in 2023-24 to support the Health Human Resources Action Plan, which includes several initiatives to recruit, train, incentivize, and retain doctors and other health care professions.
Recently, the provincial government announced enhancements to the Rural Physician Incentive Program (RPIP) to help attract more family physicians to rural and northern communities across Saskatchewan. More information on the enhanced RPIP program, including program eligibility, may be found at saskatchewan.ca/rural-physician-incentive.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority issued an advisory on July 14, after confirming individuals at several businesses in the Swift Current had tested positive for COVID-19 as of July 11.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority issued an advisory on July 14, after confirming individuals at several businesses in the Swift Current had tested positive for COVID-19 as of July 11.
Anyone who attended these businesses during the listed times should be monitoring for symptoms.
If symptoms develop, please isolate immediately and contact 811. For information on self-monitoring please go to www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19 and click on the About COVID-19 link. Individuals who want to be tested can contact 811 for a referral.
Protective Services Bike Officers (PSBO) are hitting the road this summer in Saskatoon and Regina. All PSBO receive intensive training, similarly utilized by law enforcement like police forces, which is developed by the Law Enforcement Bike Association (LEBA), an international body. Four PSBO began patrolling the Royal University Hospital (RUH) and surrounding area in June, while a team of PSBO based at Regina General Hospital will begin in early July.
In response to safety incidents on the grounds and parking lots of Saskatchewan Health Authority facilities, Protective Services have launched the bike patrol initiative to increase visibility and response times to safety issues. With large areas to cover, bicycles provide a way for Protective Services Officers to be visible, which deters crime, and respond quickly to incidents. Both RUH and RGH are located close to other urban SHA facilities, so when operational numbers allow, Protective Services Bike Officers have the ability to deter criminal activity though uniform presence in and around SHA property outside of their base facility.
Similar to law enforcement, Protective Services Bike Officers will operate primarily April 1 to October 31. The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is committed to ensuring a safe and secure environment that is free from danger or threat for patients, visitors, staff, physicians, and volunteers in all SHA facilities, parking lots, and grounds at all times.
International students and advocacy groups in Canada say Ottawa’s temporary removal of the cap on hours the students can work off campus each week should be made permanent.
Last year, the federal government removed the ceiling of 20 hours of off-campus work per week while classes are in session. The pilot, which affected more than 500,000 students, is set to end this year.
“The past year has been quite good in terms of finances because I could work 40 hours a week and have been able to pay off my tuition fees,” said Krunal Chavda, an international student at the University of Saskatchewan.
The 20-year-old said he has around $40,000 in student loans and was able to pay off $10,000 with full-time work — an opportunity that will be gone come the new year.
Krunal Chavda, an international student at the University of Saskatchewan, says inflation and rising tuition have him worried. (Pratyush Dayal/CBC)
He said inflation has upped his grocery budget from as low as $100 to as much as $300 a month.
“I’ve found myself in situations where I was like, ‘OK, should I buy this or not?’ It basically comes down to necessities and not the wants,” he said.
Chavda’s classmate, Meghal, who goes by one name, says students are struggling.
“There is a lot of uncertainty and anxiousness in the air. We’re on the edge,” she said.
“It’s becoming more and more difficult to sustain.”
Domenici Medina, an international student from Ecuador, says students should not be put in a situation where they constantly have to worry about money. (Pratyush Dayal/CBC)
Domenici Medina, an international student at the university from Ecuador, said being allowed to work full time “allows us to get more money and not have that financial burden, or worry so much about money.”
Even though her mother assists with her education, working off-campus up to 40 hours helped her contribute to tuition “which went up three times.”
“That extra money also helps with medical appointments like a dentist, which is not covered by the university’s insurance.”
The 22-year-old has already started looking for on-campus jobs.
“Making this policy permanent will have an impact on our well-being and mental health,” she said.
Doris Yim says if the government can make the policy permanent, international students like her will be able to keep up with inflation and tuition. (Pratyush Dayal/CBC)
Pharmacy student Doris Yim said making the switch permanent would also help employers. She is trying get a pharmacy cashier job, but said they are looking for people who can work full-time during the holidays — a role she won’t be eligible for after Dec. 31.
“Sometimes healthier options are a bit too expensive for my financial situation, which means I have to pick the ones that I can afford versus the ones that I really need,” she said.
In an email statement sent Monday, the federal immigration department said it is in the process of assessing the impact the policy has had, including how many eligible international students have taken advantage of it.
“The temporary lifting of the 20-hour limit for off-campus work is helping to address Canada’s labour shortage,” the statement said.
It said the ministry would let the public know if there were any changes to the current plan.
WATCH | International students say Canada should permanently lift 20-hour work cap:
International students say Canada should permanently lift 20-hour work cap
Featured VideoInternational students and advocacy groups in Canada say Ottawa’s temporary removal of the cap on hours the students can work off campus each week should be made permanent.
Discouraging and unfair, say international students
Ana Sofía Díaz, a fourth-year psychology student at the University of Manitoba, said working a full-time job helped her.
She was able to contribute $10,000 to her student loans in the past year, but worries about the future.
“It is definitely frustrating and discouraging,” she said. “Not only do we have to pay more expensive fees, but the resources we’re trying to use to pay those fees or not to be in high debt are being taken away from us.”
Ana Sofía Díaz is an international student from Colombia studying psychology at the University of Manitoba. (Submitted by Ana Sofía Díaz)
She said it’s upsetting that international students were recently blamed for the housing crisis, when in reality they are being priced out.
“The extra money I was making was allowing me some self-care activities that before I had to cut back on,” she said. “It’s just very unfair.”
Karandeep Singh Sanghera, the student union president at Capilano University in North Vancouver, agreed.
“Most of the students have to work on minimum wage, which is some $16 right now. It’s not possible to live working 20 hours in this condition,” he said.
He said international students like him are feeling the pressures of the housing market. Sanghera shares a three occupancy space with five people.
He said their union has asked MPs in Ottawa to make the policy permanent.
Karandeep Singh Sanghera is the president of the Capilano University Students’ Union. (Submitted by Karandeep Singh Sanghera)
Vital to safeguard international students: advocates
James Casey, a policy and research analyst at the Canadian Federation of Students that represents more than 530,000 post-secondary students across Canada, said 40 per cent of its members are international students.
“Because international students are not given any federal or provincial loans or grants or housing vouchers, they’re experiencing disproportionate effects for rising cost of living and housing affordability,” he said.
Casey said tuition for international students is much higher than for domestic students.
“At the University of Toronto’s nursing program, one of the best in the country and the most well sought out internationally, domestic students pay just over $22,000 [for two years], whereas international students pay over $90,000.”
Casey said many food banks are seeing a lot of international students coming in.
“It’s a very dire situation that speaks to the huge gap between what life is for an international student in this country versus the average Canadian student,” Casey said.
James Casey, a policy and research analyst at the Canadian Federation of Students, says international students could be caught up in human trafficking and exploitative labour practices. (Pratyush Dayal/CBC)
Casey said many international students have to share beds and single rooms, and some even end up homeless or sleep under bridges.
“It’s going to put international students in very difficult positions to choose between whether to break this policy or afford housing,” he said.
“If this decision is not made permanent, we’re going to have mass amounts of international students being caught up in human trafficking and exploitative labour practices.”
The Afternoon Edition – Sask7:45International students say Canada should permanently lift 20-hour work cap
Featured VideoInternational students and advocacy groups in Canada say Ottawa’s temporary removal of the cap on hours the students can work off campus should be made permanent. CBC’s Pratyush Dayal joins Afternoon Edition host Garth Materie to explain.
Advocacy group Migrant Workers Alliance for Change has been calling for this change since 2017 and has been fielding increasing calls from concerned students.
“This is a question about whether we want to live in a society where everybody has equal rights and protections, or if we’re going to allow a system that sections off a group of people on the basis of their immigration status and denies them the same rights,” she said.
“There are six weeks left until the end of this temporary policy. Every day matters and the clock is ticking. We’re calling on Prime Minister Trudeau and Immigration Minister Mark Miller to do the right thing and permanently remove the 20-hour work limit.”
Sarom Rho, an organizer with Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, says many international students are going to classes and work hungry. (Daniel Dadoun/CBC)
Rho said current and former international students are the largest group of non-permanent residents in the country.
“Many are going to classes and work hungry, stressed, taking food out of their carts at grocery stores because they can’t afford it,” she said.
“Many are facing exploitation and mistreatment from bosses who want them to work harder for longer and for less.”
She said employers often threaten these students with deportation or jeopardizing their permanent residency.
“Even the United Nations rapporteur recently said that Canada’s system of temporary migration is a breeding ground,” she said. “But we can change it.”
