November 14, 2025, WINNIPEG, MB – The Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) has released a new research paper, Taking the Care Out of Home Care: Decisions that Have Dismantled Manitoba’s Home Care System, revealing how years of policy changes, underinvestment, and poor planning have eroded one of Manitoba’s most essential healthcare services.
Drawing on Freedom of Information data, interviews, and firsthand accounts from nurses and clients, the report outlines how a once nationally recognized program has deteriorated into a system plagued by unsafe conditions, missed visits, and fragmented communication. Between 2015 and 2025, the number of clients receiving home care increased by 41%, while total nursing hours grew by only 2%, leaving nurses struggling to meet demand.
“Home care is collapsing under the weight of years of neglect,” said MNU President Darlene Jackson. “Nurses are reporting missed visits, unsafe workloads, and rising moral distress. Manitobans who depend on this care deserve better, and so do the people providing it.”
The report also highlights the WRHA’s failed centralized scheduling rollout, which resulted in thousands of unassigned visits and widespread confusion among staff and clients. Many of the same scheduling changes are now being introduced in other regions without adequate frontline consultation.
MNU’s paper provides a path forward, calling on the government to:
- Rebuild Rapid Response Teams and reinstate specialized nursing programs;
- Establish province-wide standards and public reporting for wait times and missed visits;
- Provide respite and mental health supports for caregivers;
- Invest in technology and modern scheduling tools; and
- Ensure all care providers work within regulated scopes of practice.
“This report isn’t about blame — it’s about accountability,” Jackson continued. “We can rebuild home care, but only if government and health leaders start treating this like the crisis it is. The cost of inaction will be measured not only in dollars, but in human lives.”
MNU remains committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to restore stability, safety, and trust in Manitoba’s home care system.
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT: Taking the Care Out of Home Care: Decisions that Have Dismantled Manitoba’s Home Care System
MNU represents more than 13,000 nurses across the province, advocating for fair wages, better working conditions, and quality patient care. Since 1975, MNU has been a bold voice for nurses, providing support and pushing for a stronger healthcare system. Learn more at manitobanurses.ca.
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Brandi Johnson
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Phone: 204-226-9803
Email: bjohnson@manitobanurses.ca