Vital Statistics backlogs cause frustration, anger

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/04/2023 (1045 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitobans are still dealing with unacceptable Vital Statistics wait-times. My office in the Maples has heard from many community members who are struggling to get any updates from the Vital Statistics branch. Our community members are unable to access government services due to government mismanagement and lack of support, and we hear more about it every day.

Vital Statistics backlogs have prevented Manitobans from obtaining birth certificates, marriage certificates and more in a timely manner. These delays have real impacts on Manitobans’ lives. The inability to obtain important documents has prevented Manitobans from applying for passports, health cards, social insurance numbers, and accessing provincial and federal programs aimed to help Manitobans.

The government recently implemented a wait-time tracker on the Vital Statistics branch website which clearly shows that wait times are increasing. Even though this tracker provides a level of transparency we’ve been calling for, it is not enough to tell Manitobans they cannot expect to be served for weeks to months.

While the tracker shows “average” wait-times of nearly a month, we have heard many horror stories of wait times extending for months and a complete lack of communication due to insufficient staffing. Community members have even reported being stuck on hold with Vital Statistics for hours on end. This is just another reason Manitobans feel they cannot trust this government to deliver the services they depend on.

Vital Statistics backlogs and long wait-times, of course, come as a result of the many cuts the Progressive Conservative government has made to the public service. There is a government-wide shortage of civil servants because of the government’s cuts, and it has continually shown its refusal to fill widespread vacancies. Unfortunately, with no changes in sight to the government’s approach, backlogs will likely continue to grow and public servants will continue to struggle to deal with the high demand for service.

If you want to discuss the PCs cuts to the civil service and their refusal to address the issues with Vital Statistics, or have any concerns that you would like to speak to me about, do not hesitate to contact our office via email at mintu.sandhu@yourmanitoba.ca or phone at 204-417-3486, and remember to follow my Facebook page for updates.