For Immediate Release
March 20, 2025
NDP MHA Jordan Brown (Labrador West) is sounding the alarm on the worsening state of healthcare in Labrador, as residents face increasingly long wait times, a lack of accessible primary care, and overworked healthcare workers struggling to fill the gaps.
Last week in the House of Assembly, Brown raised concerns about healthcare funding, asking the Health Minister where the additional money from Ottawa, intended to support provincial healthcare, had gone. Brown highlighted that Labradorians are experiencing reduced access to healthcare, including services they previously relied on.
“People in Labrador are being forced to use emergency rooms as walk-in clinics because they have no other choice,” said Brown. “When you can’t get a family doctor or nurse practitioner, when clinics are full, where else do people turn? Our healthcare system is supposed to work for everyone, but right now, it’s failing the people of Labrador.”
Brown says the government continues to talk about its efforts in recruiting and retaining healthcare workers, but there has been no noticeable increase in workers coming to Labrador. Brown emphasizes that this is putting additional strain on existing healthcare professionals, who are forced to bear a heavier workload and care for more patients.
“The professionals who keep our healthcare system running are being pushed past their limits,” said Brown. “They’re working overtime, carrying heavy patient loads, and trying to do the jobs of multiple people. This isn’t sustainable, and it puts both patients and workers at risk.
“In speaking with healthcare workers, they say housing is an issue. If we want more workers, we need more housing. Labrador West has a 0% vacancy rate, yet the government refuses to address the housing crisis, just as they ignore the decline in healthcare access in this district. They do not understand the realities Labradorians face. This needs to change.”
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca
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