A mobile MRI unit designed to assist patients in two northern Manitoba towns is currently stationed in Thompson and faces challenges in maintaining staff, as reported by two associations representing technologists in the region.
The provincial government introduced the mobile MRI unit in Thompson last June, planning for it to rotate between that northern city and The Pas, located approximately 300 kilometres to the southwest, later in 2025.
Dayna McTaggart, the provincial manager for the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists Manitoba, is also a medical radiological technologist based in The Pas.
According to McTaggart, the mobile unit has not yet made an appearance in her community of nearly 6,000 residents, leaving patients to depend on MRI services in Thompson or Dauphin, which is also around 300 kilometres from The Pas.
Some patients are opting to travel to Brandon, located 450 kilometres away, for MRI scans that are crucial for diagnosing conditions such as cancers and monitoring treatment progress.
“Until the machine is officially deployed to The Pas, our community and the surrounding areas will not experience any significant changes,” she stated.
Dayna McTaggart, the provincial manager with the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists Manitoba, comments that the mobile MRI unit has not yet reached The Pas, as initially planned. (Submitted by Dayna McTaggart)
“We have not been given any clear timeline. And from what I observe around the health facility, there appears to be no preparations underway to accommodate the equipment upon its arrival,” she mentioned.
A representative for Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara indicated that efforts are still ongoing to extend mobile MRI services to The Pas.
The delay has been attributed to the project receiving only one bid, which exceeded the approved budget, leading the province to initiate a second request for proposals process, as stated by the spokesperson.
60% vacancy rate: union leader
Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, reported that the unit has faced difficulties in hiring and retaining staff since its launch nearly nine months ago.
The union president noted that the facility is experiencing a 60 per cent vacancy rate, with only two staff members—one working full-time and the other part-time. Several employees have resigned since the unit began operations in June, he added.
“As the staffing situation deteriorates, the ability to keep employees also declines,” he remarked.
Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, highlights that staff have left due to concerns regarding northern pay differentials. (CBC)
Asagwara’s spokesperson confirmed that the facility currently has one full-time MRI technologist and one part-time technologist. Additionally, another full-time technologist has been recruited and is expected to begin work after completing training later this spring.
Linklater stated that union members working north of the 53rd parallel are entitled to receive a 15 percent differential in pay.
However, staff members employed at the mobile MRI who reside in southern Manitoba do not receive this pay increase, according to Linklater. This lack of incentive has contributed to the resignation of some former employees, he noted.
“There is a northern differential in place for this very reason, but it has not been extended to MRI techs from the south to fill those roles in the mobile MRI,” Linklater explained.
“They need to utilize the existing incentive. That could potentially help retain some of the current staff and attract new hires for the northern MRI,” he stated.
Shared Health, which oversees the mobile MRI unit, has indicated that efforts to ensure stable staffing levels are ongoing. The provincial health agency is considering various options, including “wage enhancements,” as stated in their communication.
Technologist McTaggart pointed out that working at a mobile service might also bring uncertainty for employees, who may be unsure of how long they will be away from home.
Wait times lower at mobile MRI unit
Although the mobile unit is currently based in Thompson, McTaggart believes it has improved access to MRI services in the northern region.
Provincial wait time statistics indicate that the average waiting period for an MRI scan at health facilities across Manitoba was 26 weeks in 2025. In contrast, the median wait time at the mobile unit last year was just four weeks, the shortest of any facility in the province.
“I believe that if you are from the north and are willing to travel to Thompson for an MRI, you are likely receiving those scans faster than anyone else in the province,” McTaggart concluded.
Since its launch in June, the mobile unit has conducted over 1,500 MRI scans, according to the provincial government’s data.