Security guards who left Saskatchewan man in cold barred from working at hospital

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/12/2025 (291 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PRINCE ALBERT – The Saskatchewan Health Authority says security guards who left a man outside the Prince Albert hospital in the freezing cold have been banned from working at its facilities.

The authority said Friday it reviewed the case and determined the actions of the security officers didn’t meet standards of care. The guards were employed by a contractor.

“The (Saskatchewan Health Authority) has confirmed with the provider that the officers involved are no longer permitted to work at Prince Albert Victoria Hospital or at any other SHA site or facility,” it said in a statement.

Last week, video footage circulated online showing guards moving a man in a wheelchair outside the hospital in Saskatchewan’s third-largest city, north of Saskatoon. 

The video later shows the man lying with his face down in a pile of snow not far from the hospital. Temperatures had been well below freezing. 

Police said officers responded to a call on Dec. 11 to help the man who had been evicted from the hospital, and they found him to be intoxicated. 

The health authority said last week the man was kicked out for being disruptive in the emergency room, and it would review what happened.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations called for the guards to be fired for the treatment of the First Nations man.

The health authority said it met with the Prince Albert Grand Council, which also raised concerns.

“SHA acknowledges the impact this incident has had on trust and safety for Indigenous patients and unequivocally condemns racism in all forms, including Indigenous specific racism,” said the statement.

“SHA remains committed to accountability, learning, and strengthening our approach to providing culturally responsive care in partnership with the communities we serve.”

The authority said it will work with the grand council to put into place an Indigenous patient liaison in the hospital’s emergency department.

It said it’s also speaking with the contracted security provider to ensure it adheres to proper care practices.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2025.

— By Jeremy Simes in Regina