Progress on Vital Statistics staff shortage: minister

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This article was published 24/04/2023 (865 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The minister responsible for Manitoba Vital Statistics says his department went on a hiring spree in recent weeks to reduce the 40 per cent job-vacancy rate and trim the backlog of applications for birth and marriage certificates.

“It was at 27.5 per cent the last time I checked,” Government Services Minister James Teitsma said Monday. “That’s a fairly significant decrease,” he said after question period.

The NDP called out the job vacancies at the department, and tabled a document showing they increased from 31.6 per cent in January 2022 to 40 per cent in January and February of this year.

“This is a basic function of government,” NDP Leader Wab Kinew said in the chamber Monday as he blamed the delay in issuing birth and marriage certificates on a staff shortage caused by the Progressive Conservative government.

Premier Heather Stefanson said there have been “some challenges” as a result of the pandemic and that Manitoba and other jurisdictions have a shortage of skilled workers. “We’re taking action,” she said.

Teitsma said dealing with the job vacancies and the backlog at Vital Statistics has been his priority since he was appointed minister Jan. 31.

Seven employees who were hired in recent weeks have significantly increased the number of birth certificate registrations week over week, said Teitsma.

He said the office has the biggest backlog in the department, but he had no data on hand to back that up.

“In time, that’s going to result in a significant decrease in the wait times,” he said.

The minister in charge of the civil service said more vacancies need to be filled and it can be a challenge to find and train qualified personnel.

“You need somebody with significant clerical experience and some technical expertise,” Teitsma said. “They have to become familiar with the legislation,” he said. “It does take a bit (of time) to get them up to speed and hired.”

The government has acknowledged a significant backlog for “life event” registrations and applications at Vital Statistics that spans months. Many requests contain errors or omissions that must be corrected before they can be processed.

In January, Vital Statistics reported more than 8,000 applications for birth, death and marriage certificates required corrections. The number of registrations that needed corrections couldn’t be provided as a tracking system was still being developed.

Kinew said the problem at Vital Statistics dates back to 2016, when the Progressive Conservatives took office and began cutting the civil service.

“Why did the PCs cut these jobs in the first place?” the NDP leader said after question period.

“That’s what the PCs need to answer.”

Former premier Brian Pallister’s promise to cut the civil service, and balance the provincial budget, resulted in a workforce reduction of 18 per cent in the Tory party’s first five years in power.

When they took office in 2016, there were 14,876 civil servants. In 2021, there were 12,232.

After a steady annual decline, in 2022 the number of civil servants increased by 282 positions to 12,514, a two per cent increase from the previous year, and the first growth in seven years.

Delays at Vital Statistics are the result of that department being significantly understaffed for years, Kinew said.

“When you’re waiting for that birth certificate, that marriage certificate, keep in mind the PCs cut staff in this department.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca