A new report from the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM) shows more than 1,600 registered nurses and nurse practitioners in the province worked for private nursing agencies in 2024, accounting for over 10 per cent of Manitoba’s nursing workforce.
The College’s analysis, released September 4, highlights an ongoing shift in the profession as agency nursing, once used mainly for temporary shortages, has become a growing part of Manitoba’s healthcare system. Together, agency nurses logged nearly 920,000 hours last year, equivalent to 456 full-time positions.
“This isn’t new. Agency nurses have long helped fill gaps in hospitals and long-term care,” said Deb Elias, CRNM CEO and registrar. “But the dramatic increase since the COVID-19 pandemic is concerning. Patient safety and system sustainability are at risk when temporary staffing becomes the norm.”
CRNM’s data shows 464 nurses worked between part-time and full-time hours with agencies, many also holding permanent roles in the public system. The rise in agency work has been most noticeable in emergency rooms, long-term care, and hospital wards.
Martin Lussier, CRNM’s communications manager, said patient safety issues are among the College’s top concerns. “When nurses are new to a facility or unfamiliar with a practice setting, continuity of care and appropriate supervision can be lacking,” he explained. “We’ve also seen agency nurses disproportionately represented in professional conduct complaints.”
In March, the College introduced a requirement that RNs and NPs must have at least 2,015 practice hours in Canada before working in an agency setting. The move is meant to ensure nurses have adequate experience before entering high-risk environments.
A College survey found work-life balance was the leading reason nurses chose agency employment, with many citing control over schedules, shifts, and vacation time. Two-thirds of agency nursing occurs in rural and remote areas, where staffing shortages are chronic.
Lussier noted that about 60 per cent of agency nurses also hold permanent public positions, suggesting the issue isn’t simply about supply. “It’s about conditions,” he said. “We have more nurses than ever registered in Manitoba, over 15,000, yet vacancies persist in the public system. Nurses are telling us they need more flexibility, support, and better workplace conditions.”
The Manitoba government has attempted to reduce reliance on agencies by introducing a provincial nursing float pool, offering competitive pay and flexibility. CRNM believes more systemic reforms from flexible scheduling to stronger mentorship for new grads are needed to keep nurses in the public system.
“This is a long-term challenge,” said Lussier. “There’s no quick fix. But if we don’t address it, reliance on agency models will continue to grow. Our role is to shine a light on the data and help drive system-level solutions that protect patients and strengthen the profession.”
