Metal detectors in operation at facility main entrances
Metal Detectors will begin operation at the main doors to Battlefords Union Hospital in North Battleford and Prince Albert Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert on Monday.
Once those facilities are online, metal detectors will be in operation at eight health-care facilities in Saskatchewan, including the main entrance to the Regina Urgent Care Centre, and the emergency room entrances at the five hospitals in Saskatoon and Regina.
Metal detectors support Protective Services in preventing weapons from entering facilities, enhancing safety and security for patients, visitors and health-care teams. But it does mean a few things will change for those entering through doors where the metal detectors are located, especially those facilities where they are located at the main doors.
There will be two detectors available when entering each of the Prince Albert and North Battleford facilities. One will be dedicated to allowing quicker access to the building and will accommodate those needing immediate or emergent medical services who enter through the main doors. If you require emergency health care, you will be asked to inform the protective services officers present so you can be screened as quickly as possible.
SHA staff and contractors need to have their current, valid IDs on their person to be exempt from screening. Law enforcement and corrections personnel will also be exempt with proper identification. Staff are encouraged to use designated staff entrances, avoiding entrances with metal detectors so areas do not become unnecessarily crowded.
Deployment of metal detectors to Saskatchewan facilities follows a successful pilot of metal detection technology at the shared emergency department entrance at Royal University Hospital (RUH) and Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital (JPCH) in Saskatoon in Fall 2025. The SHA ordered metal detectors in December 2025 to expand the program.
Metal detectors have been installed at emergency department entrances at the following facilities as of January 20, 2026:
Saskatoon
- RUH / JPCH (shared emergency department entrance)
- St. Paul’s Hospital
- Saskatoon City Hospital
Regina
- Regina General Hospital
- Pasqua Hospital
Metal detectors are also now operational at the main entrances to the following facilities in February 2026:
- Regina Urgent Care Centre: operational as of Thursday, February 5, 2026
- Prince Albert Victoria Hospital: installation begins February 2026
- Battleford Union Hospital: installation begins February 2026
Everyone entering an entrance equipped with a metal detector will be required to be screened, with Protective Services Officers onsite to monitor the system and respond quickly to safety concerns.
To support implementation and consistent operations, the SHA is adding the equivalent of 51 full-time Protective Services positions around the province to provide 24/7 staffing for screening and operations. This investment strengthens day-to-day safety and security in emergency departments and ensures Protective Services teams have the support they need as metal detection is deployed.
Safety is a core value of the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), and we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for patients, visitors, and health-care teams in all of our facilities.
Like health systems across Canada, the SHA has responded to an increase in violent incidents and weapons entering emergency departments and hospitals. Violence in health-care settings is unacceptable. We recognize the impact these incidents have on staff, physicians, learners, patients, and families, and we are taking steps to strengthen safety and security across the health system.
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