REGINA - The grand opening has finally taken place for the long-awaited new Breast Health Centre in Regina.
Members of the government and Saskatchewan Health Authority, along with Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and Hospitals of Regina Foundation officials among others, were on hand to celebrate the completion of the new health centre, which will offer the range of comprehensive services to diagnose and fight breast cancer.
The centre is located in Regina Crossing on Albert St., and will begin to see patients starting on April 23. According to a news release, the province committed $8.5 million to the project towards building renovations, diagnostic equipment and staffing.
Officials say this marks a major change in care for breast cancer patients in Regina.
Before, breast cancer patients would have to move among several different venues in Regina. The centre will provide diagnostic imaging and biopsies, specialist consultations, patient education and navigation services, and post-treatment therapies and rehabilitation, all under one roof. Health care professionals will provide services in these areas and the Hospitals of Regina Foundation is funding two radiologists for fellowship training for breast imaging and intervention specialties for the health centre.
Provincial officials are touting the prospect of shorter wait times and a smoother and more coordinated process for patients, who will be referred to a single facility in a single appointment for their breast cancer needs.
“By bringing together pre and post-surgical care and diagnostic imaging in one location, the Regina Breast Health Centre streamlines the patient journey, improving coordination, reducing wait times and enhancing the overall experience for patients and their families,” said Derek Miller, Chief Operating Officer of the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
“Patients will now be able to meet their surgeon, receive diagnostic procedures and access follow-up care all under one roof. This co-location model strengthens collaboration among radiologists, surgeons, pathologists, oncologists and our partners at the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, ensuring patients receive comprehensive, timely and well-coordinated care. It also reflects our broader commitment to improving access to care and delivering seamless services as close to home as possible.”
“These professionals will work together as a cohesive unit, providing patients with personalized care tailored to their specific needs,” said Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill.
“Now we hear this all the time in health care, but I can't emphasize it enough. By having a team that works closely together, we can ensure better collaboration, and ultimately, what is most important is a better patient experience."
Breast cancer survivor Briana Bolduc recalled what the process had been like for her when she was diagnosed.
“When I was going through my diagnosis, my biopsies were done at one hospital. My meetings with my general surgeon were done at a different hospital, tucked back in the corner, really hard to navigate to. Most of my diagnostic imaging was split between the hospitals or at some clinics around the city. So, overall, that's just a lot of hospital right up front in a really scary diagnosis,”
Bolduc said what struck her about the new Breast Health Centre was “the colour of the walls and the art, and just how welcoming it felt to be in the space.
“The next thing that struck me was the careful consideration of the patient experience and the flow of how people will be moved through the centre, and when you walk in, the first thing you see, hopefully, is a smiling face. Three, four, maybe five different appointment locations will be combined into one familiar spot. You see the same familiar faces, you drive that same familiar route, you understand the same familiar parking, you walk through those same familiar doors, and you know exactly where you need to go. And I don't think that I can accurately express how big of a difference this is going to make for a lot of people. I truly feel like the new centre is going to add a sense of comfort and ease anxieties in a time that's very difficult for many people, and that really goes a long way.”
While those at the grand opening ceremony welcomed the new Breast Health Centre, opposition New Democrats were accusing the government of poaching staff from other health care facilities.
At a news conference at the Legislature the NDP critic for Disabilities, Community Based Organizations and the Status of Women, Brittney Senger, accused the government of “quietly reassigning staff from existing health facilities to the new Regina Breast Health Centre rather than hiring new healthcare workers as promised.”
“For months, this government claimed the new building would boost capacity and bring in out- of-province recruits. Behind closed doors, the Sask Party has been moving staff from the Pasco Hospital's Breast Assessment Centre, raising fears that it may soon close. This government isn't going to change anything if they just move people from one building to another.”
Senger added that it seemed to be “all about flashy headlines for the Sask Party’s old boys’ club. They don't give a damn about women's health.”
When asked about those criticisms, Minister Cockrill said there would be four positions moving over from the assessment center at Pasqua, but added “we have 13 new staff here at the health center.”
Cockrill said they still have one hire left to complete but “other than that, we're all hired and ready to go, ready to start seeing patients next week.”
Cockrill was also asked about NDP pointing to 472 Saskatchewan women having to travel out of province and paying partially out of their own pocket to go a private clinic in Calgary for breast cancer diagnostics.
Cockrill confirmed the province’s contract with provider Clearpoint for those services would continue to March of 2026. They would be re-evaluating closer to when that contract expires and make a decision on that.
“That's another opportunity for access, and I think we owe it to the women of the province to have all options available,” Cockrill said.
Cockrill said he expects they see “some significant improvement” with the new Breast Health Centre open.
“The Breast Health Centre here will take about 1,600 referrals a year," said Cockrill. "So again, that's 1,600 more people that we're going to be, or 1,600 people that we're going to be able to move through this one-stop hub for breast health.”
