Manitoba Expands Training for Lab and X-Ray Technologists

The government of Manitoba is taking significant steps to address staffing shortages in healthcare by doubling the training capacity for combined laboratory and X-ray technologists. Starting in January 2025, an additional five training spots will be available at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, as announced by Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara.

This initiative aims to tackle the ongoing diagnostic staffing shortages, particularly in rural and northern communities. The cross-trained professionals play a vital role in hospitals, handling essential services such as lab testing, general radiography, and electrocardiograms. The cost for these five new training seats is estimated at $178,270 for the financial year 2025-26.

Shared Health plans to offer return-of-service agreements to students accepted into the program. This arrangement will cover tuition and academic expenses in exchange for a commitment of 5,000 hours—approximately three years of service within Manitoba following graduation. This strategy is designed to ensure that rural and regional healthcare facilities directly benefit from the investment.

Building Local Capacity

The introduction of these training spots serves as a temporary measure while Assiniboine College undertakes necessary capital upgrades and regulatory approvals for its own program, which is set to begin with 20 seats in September 2027. Once operational, this local program will reduce reliance on out-of-province training for lab and X-ray technologists.

Minister Asagwara emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “By working with advanced education and training, we’re actually doing the work by standing up this training in Manitoba, building our own capacity.”

The urgency of this development is underscored by reports indicating that nearly 20 percent of lab and X-ray tech positions in Manitoba remain unfilled. Jason Linklater, the president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, expressed strong support for the initiative. He noted, “This will certainly benefit rural communities that depend on those services to keep rural ERs open. It is the kind of initiative that we’ve been asking them to implement.”

Linklater further highlighted the broader context of staffing challenges, mentioning that there are approximately 1,000 vacant allied health positions across the province. He called for similar initiatives to address shortages in other critical fields such as respiratory therapy and paramedics.

The commitment to expanding training opportunities reflects a proactive approach by the Manitoba government to enhance healthcare services in the province. As the demand for skilled healthcare professionals continues to grow, initiatives like these are essential to ensuring that communities have access to the care they need.