The Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) marked an important milestone in expanding acute care capacity in the province’s largest city. A major expansion at Saskatoon City Hospital (SCH) will add a total 109 new acute care beds when completed. The first 40 beds, part of a new medicine unit on the hospital’s sixth floor, are now open and serving patients.
“By expanding acute care capacity at City Hospital, we are delivering solutions that put patients first while supporting the dedicated staff who provide that care every day,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “This expansion will help ease pressure across Saskatoon’s acute care network and enhance the experience for patients and families, as we continue strengthening access to timely, high-quality care across Saskatchewan.”
Once fully implemented, the SCH expansion will increase Saskatoon’s overall hospital capacity by 14 per cent, helping emergency departments admit patients more efficiently, reducing wait times for admissions and ensuring timely care in the most appropriate setting.
The full rollout of the 109-bed expansion at SCH includes; 22 Acute Rehabilitation beds; 12 Acquired Brain Injury beds; 60 General Medicine beds; 15 High Acuity beds; and addition of ancillary and support services, including expanded Medical Imaging, Laboratory and Pharmacy Services.
“The addition of 40 new beds at Saskatoon City Hospital represents a significant increase in Saskatoon’s acute care capacity as we continue working to expand capacity and access to health services,” Saskatchewan Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Andrew Will said. “This milestone improves patient access to hospital care, helps reduce pressure across Saskatoon’s emergency departments, and supports health teams in delivering high-quality care for patients from across the province.”
To make room for the new acute care units, select outpatient and continuing care services currently located at SCH will transition to other community or continuing care settings. This ensures patients continue to access services in the most appropriate environment while creating space for expanded hospital capacity.
“This project strengthens our connection to the community we serve,” Integrated Saskatoon Health Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mark Fenton said. “By moving programs into more accessible locations and creating additional acute care spaces, we are improving the patient experience and supporting recovery in environments designed for healing.”
To support the expanded acute care services at SCH, the SHA will recruit more than 500 additional staff and physicians.
This initiative is a key part of Saskatchewan’s broader strategy to optimize hospital space and expand access to critical health services across the province.
The Government of Saskatchewan has allocated $30 million in the 2025–26 budget to expand inpatient capacity in Saskatoon hospitals, including the addition of 109 new acute care beds at SCH. This builds on a previous $30 million investment from the 2024–25 budget, supporting the SHA’s ongoing Provincial Capacity Pressure Action Plans in both Saskatoon and Regina.
As part of the Saskatoon Capacity Pressure Action Plan, the SHA successfully hired 385 additional full-time equivalent staff in Saskatoon and opened 159 continuing care beds in community settings to improve patient flow and access to care. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the SHA also launched a comprehensive planning process in 2024 to guide future expansion of hospital and long-term care capacity in Saskatoon to meet the growing health care needs of Saskatoon and the province.
Together, these investments mean more beds, more staff, and better access to timely, high-quality care, ensuring Saskatchewan patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
